Abstract
Growth retardation in children with CRF were ascribed to malnutrition and hormonal imbalances. In 20 children with CRF, age 6-18 y., serum creatinine (SCR) 4-10mg%, human growth hormone (HGH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and cortisol (F) were measured by radio-immunoassay with a combined arginine-(A), TRH- and ACTH-stirculation test. In patients below 3rd perc. in height HGH basal values were low (l,9±l,5ng/ml), rising to an upper normal range (43±12ng/ml) after A-stimulation. Patients with a height above 3rd perc. had elevated basal values (25±12ng/ml) with an excessive HGH-release ( 80ng/ml) following A-stimulation. In contrast TSH- and F- values before and after stimulation allowed no differentiation-between both groups. Basal and TRH-stimulated TSH increased with rising SCR. Basal and ACTH-stimulated F remained in the lower normal range in all children. The results indicate that normal growth in CRF is associated with increased basal and excessive stimulatory HGH-levels, whereas growth retarded children show a HGH-release within upper normal range. We speculate that high levels of endogenous HGH may compensate growth retardation in CRF. TSH-release seems to be related to the extent of renal dysfunction, reaching levels seen in hypothyroidism. Plasma-F is slightly depressed, but shows a normal rise.
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Klett, M., Gilli, G., Schärer, K. et al. 164: Plasma-HGH, -TSH and -cortisol in children with chronic renal failure (CRF). Pediatr Res 10, 897 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197610000-00155
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197610000-00155