NEW DIAGNOSTIC-TESTS OF GH RESERVE

Pharmacological tests are essential for the diagnosis of growth hormon e (GH) insufficiency. Obesity is a pathological state associated with blunted GH response to all the classical stimuli tested. In the presen t study, three new pharmacological stimuli for GH reserve were evaluat ed in three groups of subjects: Normal, GH-insufficient and normal gro wing obese children. Dexamethasone provokes a clear GH-response in nor mal children, whereas the response in the other 2 groups of patients i s significantly diminished. Galanin-induced GH-secretion is significan tly higher in normal than in obese children. GHRP-6 causes a potent GH release in normal children, higher than in GH-insufficiency or obesit y. The overlap shown between GH-insufficient patients and normal child ren reduces the usefulness of the tests. Similar to the classical stim uli, the response to these new tests is also decreased in obesity.