Growth hormone response in fetal alcohol syndrome

In the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) there is severe physical growth retardation both prenatally and postnatally. Secretion of growth hormone (GH) after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and arginine infusion was analysed in 5 cases of FAS to find out whether changes in GH secretion might account for the abnormal growth pattern. Results showed a normal or slight hyper-response of GH up to 150 ng/ml, and normal somatomedin activity in those blood samples with high GH level. It was concluded that the growth retardation in FAS is not caused by GH or somatomedin deficiencies.