Effect of long-term treatment with recombinant human growth hormone on erythropoietin secretion in an anemic patient with panhypopituitarism

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.