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Ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test in normal children
Insights
Ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) safely stimulates the pituitary-adrenal axis in children. This study found CRH reliably increases adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels in both boys and girls aged 6-15.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Neuroendocrinology
Background:
- The pituitary-adrenal axis plays a crucial role in the stress response.
- Assessing the function of this axis in children is important for diagnosing endocrine disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in stimulating the pituitary-adrenal axis in children.
- To compare the hormonal responses between genders and with adult data.
Main Methods:
- Administered ovine CRH (1 microgram/kg) via intravenous injection to 21 healthy children (aged 6-15 years).
- Measured plasma levels of immunoreactive ACTH and cortisol before and after CRH administration.
- Analyzed data for differences between boys and girls, and compared to existing adult data.
Main Results:
- CRH administration successfully stimulated the release of ACTH and cortisol in all participating children.
- Peak plasma ACTH and cortisol levels were recorded, with no significant differences observed between boys and girls.
- Hormonal responsiveness to CRH in children was comparable to that observed in adults, and cortisol-binding globulin levels remained stable with age.
Conclusions:
- Ovine CRH is a safe and effective agent for stimulating the pituitary-adrenal axis in children.
- The study supports the use of CRH as a diagnostic tool in pediatric endocrinology.
- CRH stimulation test can be reliably used in children, showing similar responses to adults.
Abstract:
We administered ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) as a bolus iv injection (1 microgram/kg) to 21 normal boys and girls, aged 6-15 yr. CRH stimulated release of immunoreactive ACTH and cortisol in all children. The peak plasma ACTH and cortisol levels after CRH were 15.7 +/- 9.4 (SD) pg/ml and 14.3 +/- 3.6 micrograms/dl, respectively, in the girls, and 20.7 +/- 9.7 pg/ml and 16.6 +/- 3.3 micrograms/dl, respectively, in the boys. Plasma ACTH and cortisol responsiveness to CRH did not differ between girls or boys, or between children and adults. Cortisol-binding globulin concentrations in plasma did not change with age. We conclude that CRH provides a safe means of stimulating the pituitary-adrenal axis in children.