Abstract
The fasting plasma growth hormone (GH) concentration and the plasma growth hormone response to sustained hyperglycemia was examined in 8 chronically uremic subjects before and after hemodialysis employing the hyperglycemic clamp technique. The plasma glucose concentration was actuely raised and maintained at +125 mg/100 ml above basal levels. Since the glucose concentration was held constant, the glucose infusion rate is an index of glucose metabolism (M) and M divided by the plasma insulin response (I) is a measure of tissue sensitivity to insulin. Predialysis, the fasting GH concentration, 4.0±1.0 ng/ml, was significantly greater than controls, 0.3±0.1 ng/ml (p<0.01), and failed to suppress normally following sustained hyperglycemia. Both M, 4.23±0.36 mg/kg·min, and M/I, 5.05±0.79 mg/kg·min per μU/ml, were significantly reduced compared to controls (p<0.001). There was no correlation between either the fasting GH concentration or the GH response to sustained hyperglycemia and either M or M/I. Following dialysis both M, 6.30±0.64 mg/kg·min, and M/I, 8.39±1.06 mg/kg·min per μU/ml, increased (p<0.01) without significant change in either the fasting GH level, 4.0 ± 1.2 ng/ml, or the plasma GH response to hyperglycemia. It is concluded that while deranged GH physiology is a common accompaniment of the uremic state, it is not responsible for the glucose intolerance and tissue insensitivity to insulin observed in uremia.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 279-286 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Acta Diabetologica Latina |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1979 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Glucose intolerance
- Growth hormone
- Uremia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology
- Internal Medicine
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism