BENEFICIAL-EFFECTS OF GROWTH-HORMONE COMBINED WITH PARENTERAL-NUTRITION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY

Background. Growth hormone (GH) improves net protein anabolism and sti mulates wound healing. Although GH is also known to exert the trophic effect on the intestinal tract, its role in the healing of intestinal ulceration is not known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the eff ects of exogenous GH coinfused with parenteral nutrition (PN) in an ex perimental model of inflammatory bowel disease in rats. Methods. All r ats underwent central venous cannulation and were randomized to two gr oups after induction of small intestinal ulceration with indomethacin. Both groups received the same PN formula. In addition, the GH group ( n = 10) received subcutaneous injections of human GH at a dose of 1.0 IU/kg daily for 4 days, whereas the control group (n = 10) received in jections of normal saline solution. Nitrogen balance, macroscopic infl ammation score, intestinal myeloperoxidase activity, DNA content, and mucosal permeability were determined for each rat. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNA was detected by reverse transcription and polym erase chain reaction. Results. Administration of GH significantly impr oved the cumulative nitrogen balance, ameliorated the gross inflammati on score, and decreased intestinal myeloperoxidase activity. Similarly , intestinal permeability was significantly decreased in the GH group as compared with the control group. GH treatment resulted in increased plasma concentration of IGF-I and IGF-I mRNA expressions in both the liver and the small intestine compared with those in the control group . Conclusions. Exogenous GH plays an important role in accelerating in testinal healing in an experimental model of small bowel ulceration in rats. The mechanisms may include the stimulated IGF-I production, whi ch thereafter augments intestinal epithelial cell growth.