P~choneuroendocrinology, Vol. 15, No. 4, pp. 287-295, 1990
0306-4530/90 $3.00 + 0.00 ©1991 Pergamon Press plc
Printed in Great Britain
TRIIODOTHYRONINE ADMINISTRATION REDUCES SERUM GROWTH HORMONE LEVELS A N D GROWTH HORMONE RESPONSES TO THYROTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE IN PATIENTS WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA ROBERTO VALCAVI, MICHELE ZINI a n d ITALO PORTIOLI 2a Divisione Medicina Generale e Sezione Endocrino Metabolica, Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy (Received 30 November 1989; in final form 16 July 1990)
SUMMARY The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that low serum T 3 concentrations may promote an abnormal growth hormone (GH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in patients with anorexia nervosa. Eight anorexic women and two anorexic men, ages 15-25 years, with low free T3 circulating levels (mean+SEM =2.8 + 0.3 pmol/1) were studied. A TRH test (200 ~tg IV) was carded out under basal conditions and repeated following treatment with oral T a (1.5 Ixg/kg BW/day) for eight days. Following T 3 administration, GH levels dropped significantly from a baseline of 7.1+ 1.3 I.tg/l to 3.1+ 0.7 I.tg/1 (p < 0.02), as did GH peak responses to TRH (9.0 + 1.0 gg/1 vs. 4.4 + 0.8 gg/1, p < 0.01). ANOVA and analysis of area under the curve (AUC) confirmed that after T 3 treatment there was a significant reduction in TRH-induced GH release in these patients (GH AUC: 902 + 132 Ixg/l vs. 456 _+ 91 I~g/l, p
0306-4530/90 $3.00 + 0.00 ©1991 Pergamon Press plc
Printed in Great Britain
TRIIODOTHYRONINE ADMINISTRATION REDUCES SERUM GROWTH HORMONE LEVELS A N D GROWTH HORMONE RESPONSES TO THYROTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE IN PATIENTS WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA ROBERTO VALCAVI, MICHELE ZINI a n d ITALO PORTIOLI 2a Divisione Medicina Generale e Sezione Endocrino Metabolica, Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia, Italy (Received 30 November 1989; in final form 16 July 1990)
SUMMARY The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that low serum T 3 concentrations may promote an abnormal growth hormone (GH) response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in patients with anorexia nervosa. Eight anorexic women and two anorexic men, ages 15-25 years, with low free T3 circulating levels (mean+SEM =2.8 + 0.3 pmol/1) were studied. A TRH test (200 ~tg IV) was carded out under basal conditions and repeated following treatment with oral T a (1.5 Ixg/kg BW/day) for eight days. Following T 3 administration, GH levels dropped significantly from a baseline of 7.1+ 1.3 I.tg/l to 3.1+ 0.7 I.tg/1 (p < 0.02), as did GH peak responses to TRH (9.0 + 1.0 gg/1 vs. 4.4 + 0.8 gg/1, p < 0.01). ANOVA and analysis of area under the curve (AUC) confirmed that after T 3 treatment there was a significant reduction in TRH-induced GH release in these patients (GH AUC: 902 + 132 Ixg/l vs. 456 _+ 91 I~g/l, p
