THE ROLE OF GROWTH-HORMONE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIABETIC-RETINOPATHY

OBJECTIVE - To determine the role of growth hormone (GH) in the develo pment of diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Medical r ecords of 1,423 patients who had undergone insulin tolerance tests (19 76-1991) at the Mayo Clinic were examined, and diabetic subjects were identified as either GH-deficient (GH increment after hypoglycemia <5 mu g/L and peak <10 mu g/L) or GH-sufficient, Prevalence of retinopath y was determined in these cases and in a cohort group of diabetic subj ects selected to match the GH-deficient cases. These control patients (32 cases) were selected from medical records of individuals who had r eceived medical care at Mayo during the same interval but who had not undergone insulin tolerance testing. RESULTS - Twenty-four patients wi th diabetes were identified, of whom 16 were GH-deficient and 8 GH-suf ficient, Despite comparable age, duration of diabetes, and metabolic c ontrol, the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in the GH-deficient gro up (2 of 16; 12.5%) was less (P < 0.05) than that observed in the GH-s ufficient group (5 of 8; 62.5%). Prevalence in the GH-deficient group also was lower than that observed in the cohort control group (15 of 3 2, 47%). CONCLUSIONS - These data strongly suggest that GH contributes to the development of diabetic retinopathy in humans.