APPARENT GROWTH-HORMONE LEVELS IN PLASMA AND URINE - METHODOLOGICAL ARTIFACTS

Urinary growth hormone reflects plasma levels, if a normal renal funct ion is assured. It offers the advantages of easy repetition over prolo nged periods of time. It is an easy tool to assess physiological and p athophysiological aspects of the ''amount'' of growth hormone secreted in a given clinical situation. It can be used to control therapy and reassess the ''growth hormone status'' at any time during a treatment period. It cannot, however, replace the assessment of responses of the system to a given stimulus and will not reflect the pulsatility of pl asma levels.