M. Sohmiya et Y. Kato, Effect of long-term treatment with recombinant human growth hormone on erythropoietin secretion in an anemic patient with panhypopituitarism, J ENDOC INV, 23(1), 2000, pp. 31-36
We studied the effect of treatment with recombinant human GH in an anemic p
atient with panhypopituitarism in which hemoglobin (Hb) concentration remai
ned as low as 11.0 g/dl in spite of appropriate replacement with thyroid an
d adrenocortical hormones. Recombinant human GH was subcutaneously and cons
tantly infused for 12 months using a portable syringe pump at a rate of 0.2
5 U/kg/week. After the treatment with human GH plasma erythropoietin (EPO)
levels increased from 12.2 to 25.1 mlU/ml, with a concomitant increase of H
b concentration to 13.6 g/dl. When the administration of human GH was inter
rupted, both plasma EPO levels and Hb concentrations decreased. There was a
close correlation between plasma GH and EPO levels before and during the h
uman GH administration (y=2.444x+13.423, r=0.641, p<0.05). Plasma GH levels
were well correlated with Hb concentrations before and during human GH adm
inistration (y=0.529x+11.313, r=0.690, p<0.01). Plasma IGF-I levels were al
so correlated with Hb concentrations (y=0.007x+10.874,, r=0.832, p<0.001),
but not with plasma EPO levels. These findings suggest that GH treatment ma
y be useful in anemic patients with panhypopituitarism. (C) 2000, Editrice
Kurtis.