Growth Hormone Release Following Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone Injection Into Patients With Anorexia Nervosa

Abstract

The effect of thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) on plasma levels of growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), thyrotrophin (TSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), were studied in patients with anorexia nervosa. The basal plasma GH levels were elevated in 6 of 11 patients studied. Intravenous injection of synthetic TRH (500 μg) significantly raised the plasma GH levels in 9 of 11 patients. The peak values of plasma GH after TRH ranged from 6.0 to 31.5 ng/ml. Plasma GH concentrations also increased following the administration of synthetic LH-RH (100μg) in 1 of 7 patients. The intravenous injection of saline solution caused no significant change in plasma GH in these patients. The plasma LH responses to LH-RH were significantly blunted in all patients, whereas the plasma PRL and TSH responses to TRH were almost normal in the patients examined. These results suggest that the hypothalamo-pituitary function regulating GH and LH secretion is altered in patients with anorexia nervosa.

Differences in pituitary and testicular function between diabetic patients on insulin and oral anti-diabetic agents

“…TRHmediated GH response has been reported in other pathological conditions, e.g. chronic renal failure [24], acromegaly [25], anorexia nervosa [26], and depression [27] while an LHRH-mediated response has been observed in acromegaly [28]. This abnormal response of GH indicates, we believe, a disorder in hypothalamic pituitary function in diabetics.…”

Response of human growth hormone, prolactin and thyrotropin to thyrotropin releasing hormone in liver cirrhosis and diabetes mellitus.

“…Since the high resting level of serum HGH and paradoxical serum HGH elevation after TRH administration were frequently observed in various conditions of impaired protein metabolism such as renal failure (Gonzalez-Barcena et al, 1973;Hasegawa et al, 1975;Czernichow et al, 1976) and anorexia nervosa (Maeda et al, 1976), the similar findings in liver cirrhosis in this study might be the results of im- …”

“…The promotion of paradoxical human growth hormone (HGH) response by thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) was reporte in the case of a variety of conditions and diseases (Irie et al, 1972;GonzalezBarcena et al, 1973;Faglia et al, 1973;Maeda et al, 1975;Hasegawa et al, 1975;Maeda et al, 1976;Czernichow et al, 1976).…”

Paradoxical Prolactin Response to Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone in a Patient with Hyperprolactinemia and Empty Sella.

“…In general, paradoxical response of pituitary hormones to hypothalamic releasing hormones has been documented in pituitary adenomas; GH to TRH [5] or LHRH [6,7] and PRL to GHRH in acromegaly [1], ACTH to LHRH in Cushing's disease [8], LH or FSH to TRH in gonadotropin secreting adenoma [9] and in systemic diseases; GH to TRH in chronic liver disease, chronic renal failure, IDDM, pellagrin [ 10], depression [11] and anorexia nervosa [ 12]. The present case represents no acromegalic features, no pituitary disease listed above or systemic disease.…”