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Fasting growth hormone levels in diabetes mellitus

W M Nazaimoon1, M L Ng, B A Khalid

  • 1Departments of Biochemistry & Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
|November 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Fasting growth hormone (GH) levels differ in diabetes. Children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) have lower GH, while adults with IDDM show higher GH compared to normal subjects.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Metabolic Disorders
  • Diabetes Mellitus Research

Background:

  • Growth hormone (GH) plays a crucial role in metabolism and growth.
  • Dysregulation of GH secretion is observed in various metabolic conditions, including diabetes mellitus.
  • Understanding GH levels in different diabetes types and age groups is essential for comprehensive patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare fasting serum growth hormone (GH) levels in children and adults with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) against age-matched normal subjects.
  • To investigate the relationship between fasting GH levels and glycemic control markers in adult IDDM patients.

Main Methods:

  • Measurement of fasting serum GH levels in different patient groups (IDDM children, IDDM adults, NIDDM adults) and age-matched normal controls.
  • Statistical analysis to compare GH levels between groups and assess correlations.

Main Results:

  • IDDM children (12-17 years) exhibited significantly lower fasting GH levels than normal children (p < 0.001).
  • Adult IDDM patients (18-44 and 45-76 years) demonstrated significantly higher fasting GH levels compared to both normal subjects and NIDDM patients (p < 0.06 to p < 0.001).
  • In adult IDDM patients (18-44 years), fasting GH levels correlated positively with glycated haemoglobin (r = 0.510, p = 0.002) and fasting blood sugar (r = 0.571, p = 0.01).

Conclusions:

  • Fasting GH levels show distinct patterns in IDDM across different age groups, being lower in children and higher in adults.
  • Elevated fasting GH in adult IDDM patients is associated with poorer glycemic control.
  • These findings highlight age-dependent alterations in GH secretion in IDDM and its link to metabolic status.

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