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Growth hormone secretion in premenopausal women before and after ovariectomy: effect of hormone replacement therapy
V De Leo1, D Lanzetta, D D'Antona
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Siena, Italy.
Objective:
To evaluate the GH response to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH) stimulation in premenopausal women before and after ovariectomy and after 1 month of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT).
Patients:
Ten women 42 to 49 years of age awaiting combined hysterectomy and ovariectomy for a variety of benign gynecological conditions.
Intervention:
Endocrine status was determined by assay of basal levels of gonadotropins (LH, FSH), E2, P, and PRL. Stimulation with GH-RH was performed before and 8 to 10 days after ovariectomy, and after a month of ERT.
Results:
A significant reduction in GH response to GH-RH was observed after ovariectomy. Estrogen replacement therapy restored GH response to presurgical levels.
Conclusions:
The results support the role of E2 in the stimulated secretion of GH and suggest that ERT increases pituitary stores of GH.