SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM EFFECT OF ORAL SALBUTAMOL ON GROWTH-HORMONE SECRETION IN PREPUBERTAL ASTHMATIC-CHILDREN

Salbutamol, a beta(2)-adrenergic agonist, is being extensively used in Venezuela as a brochodilator in the treatment of asthma in children. Previous reports have shown oral salbutamol either to inhibit or not t o affect growth hormone (GH) secretion. We evaluated the effect of ora l salbutamol (0.1 mg/kg every 6 hours for 3 months) on GH secretion in eight prepubertal short children with mild asthma. Levels of GH durin g sleep (samples taken every 30 minutes from 9 PM to 6 AM) and after O H-releasing hormone ([GHRH] 1 mu g/kg intravenously [IV]) were measure d before, at 24 hours, and at 3 months of salbutamol treatment. Overni ght integrated concentrations of GH and peak GH levels following GHRH diminished significantly after 24 hours of salbutamol therapy (from 4. 5 +/- 1.3 to 3.4 +/- 0.8 mu g/L and from 46.6 +/- 47.3 to 16.2 +/- 7.9 mu g/L, respectively, P < .05). However, GH levels after 3 months of salbutamol were not different from basal levels (4.5 +/- 1.3 v 5.1 +/- 5.1 +/- 2.9 mu g/L during the overnight studies and 46.6 +/- 47.3 v 3 7.8 +/- 30.4 mu g/L after GHRH), Our data suggest an inhibition of bot h spontaneous and stimulated GH secretion following short-term oral sa lbutamol ingestion, but this suppressive effect is not maintained with its long-term use. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company