R. Wildburger et al., Post-traumatic changes in insulin-like growth factor type 1 and growth hormone in patients with bone fractures and traumatic brain injury, WIEN KLIN W, 113(3-4), 2001, pp. 119-126
The aim of the study was to determine whether changes in serum levels of gr
owth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1) are related
to the phenomenon of enhanced osteogenesis in patients with bone fracture
combined with traumatic brain injury (TBI), which would also suggest their
involvement in posttraumatic stress and their applicability in the promotio
n of bone fracture healing. GH values were increased during the initial pos
t-traumatic period in all patients (those with bone fractures or TBI alone
or combined injury associated with enhanced osteogenesis), declining to nor
mal values afterwards. However, a further increase in GH was only observed
in patients with combined injury overlapping with the time of clinically ma
nifested enhanced osteogenesis. Serum levels of IGF-1 were above normal thr
oughout the study period (14 weeks) in patients with TBI only, but not if T
BI was combined with bone fractures followed by enhanced osteogenesis. In t
hese patients IGF-1 values increased gradually during fracture healing, as
was also the case in patients with bone fractures alone. Thus, different pa
tterns of post-traumatic changes in both GH and IGF-1 were seen in patients
with TBI or bone fractures in comparison to those with combined injury, in
dicating the involvement of these substances in the posttraumatic stress re
sponse and in the phenomenon of enhanced osteogenesis in patients with bone
fractures and TBI.