EVALUATION OF PITUITARY GH RESERVE WITH GHRP-6

GH releasing peptides (GHRPs) were developed before the isolation and identification of GH releasing hormone (GHRH) in 1982 yet the clinical era of the GHRPs began in 1988. Since then clinical studies have been greatly extended. We studied the effects of GHRPs on GH release as a function of age, metabolic status and in different neuroendocrine path ologies, The different mechanism of action of GHRPs versus GHRH and th e site of action have been addressed. There is a large variability in the stimulatory action of GHRH contrasted with the reproducibility of action of GHRPs. In different metabolic states GH response after GHRH is more impaired than after GHRP-6. On the other hand in different neu roendocrine pathologies GH response after GHRP-6 is more impaired than after GHRH. Each secretagogue provides separate information on GH sec retion, necessary not only for linear growth but for general metabolis m.