24-HOUR GROWTH-HORMONE SECRETION IN A PATIENT WITH WERNERS-SYNDROME

Objective: to assess the 24-h endogenous secretory growth hormone (GH) profile and serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) response to ex ogenous recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in a patient with Wern er's syndrome. Design: blood sampling every 20 min for 24 h followed b y three daily injections of growth hormone. Setting: General Clinical Research Center. Patients: single patient with Werner's syndrome. Meas urements: serum GH and IGF-I. Results: Growth hormone pulses were abse nt during the 24-h monitoring period. Likewise, integrated GH concentr ations were very low at 0.25 mu . min/mL, and no peaks occurred after sleep onset. Following single daily administration of rhGH, serum GH a nd IGF-I rose. Conclusions: our findings support previous but less ext ensive studies suggesting patients with Werner's syndrome have reduced growth hormone levels. Preliminary investigations using rhGH in patie nts with Werner's syndrome should be considered.