Objective: To study the effect of growth hormone (GH) on albumin synthesis
in critically ill patients.
Design: Prospective randomized controlled study.
Setting: Two intensive care units, university hospital and county hospital,
respectively.
Patients: Twenty-two critically ill patients in the intensive care unit.
Interventions: Albumin synthesis was measured twice in each patient. with a
5-day interval. The patients in the control group (n = 11) received standa
rd intensive care unit (ICU) treatment between measurements, whereas those
in the GH group (n = 11) also received 0.3 U/kg daily of human recombinant
GH.
Measurements and results: Albumin synthesis was measured by labeling with L
-[H-2(5)]phenylalanine In the control group, the fractional synthesis rate
(FSR) of albumin was 16.3 +/- 4.1%/day (mean and SD) in the first measureme
nt and 15.7 +/- 4.2 %/day 5 days later (NS), whereas in the GH group the co
rresponding values were 17.0 +/- 4.7 %/day and 16.7 +/- 5.5 %/day (NS). The
calculated absolute synthesis rates of albumin, based on FSR and intravasc
urar albumin mass, also showed no effect of GH.
Conclusion: Albumin synthesis rates were consistently higher in the two gro
ups of critically ill patients than previously reported values in healthy s
ubjects. However, GH treatment for 5 days neither stimulated nor inhibited
albumin synthesis rates in these critically ill patients.