“Non-classical” indication for provocative testing of growth hormone: a retrospective cohort study in adult patients under replacement therapy

Background: Adult growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is considered a rare condition. Current guidelines state that GH provocative test is indicated in patients affected by organic hypothalamic/pituitary disease or with history of head injury, irradiation, hemorrhage or hypothalamic disease with multiple pituitary deficiencies. Nevertheless, clinical picture related to GHD may be subtle. Objective: We have retrospectively evaluated the indication to GHRH+arginine test in our monocentric cohort of patients treated with hrGH in order to assess whether other conditions had been considered as a rationale for provocative testing. Methods: 96 patients (51 females and 45 males), aged 19-67 years were included. The GHRH+arginine test had been performed in 29 patients with organic hypothalamic/pituitary disease and in 4 patients for Childhood onset-GHD (Co-GHD). In other patients the diagnosis was suspected for “non classical” reasons in clinical picture suspected for GHD. Results: Classical indications included previously known primary empty sella (n=15), pituitary surgery (n=14), pituitary cyst (n=1), non-secreting pituitary tumors (n=3) but more than half patients (57.3%) had been studied for “non classical” indications: metabolic syndrome (n=25), asthenia (n=13), heart failure (n=4), osteoporosis (n=6), unexplained hypoglycaemia (n=1) and infertility (n=6). The latter represented a significant percentage in the male subgroup under 45 ys. IGF-1 levels were lower than 50th percentile in 63% of patients. Finally, among non-classical reasons organic pituitary disease was discovered in 22 patients. Conclusions: Idiopathic GHD may be unrecognized due to its subtle manifestations and that an extended use of dynamic GH test may reveal such condition. A potential field of investigation could be to identify subsets of patients with clinical conditions caused or worsened by underlying unrecognized GHD.

Retrospective Analysis of Endocrine Dysfunctions in a Population of Adult Polytransfused Patients: Correlation of GH-IGF1 Axis Alteration with Cardiac Performance

Endocrine complications of haemochromatosis and heart failure mostly affect morbidity and mortality in polytransfused patients. This study analyzes endocrine dysfunctions and the impact of GH-IGF-1 axis alteration on cardiac performance in a population of 31 patients. A retrospective study on 31 Caucasian polytransfused outpatients, 27 adults and 4 pediatric, residing in Apulia, Italy, followed from 2005 to 2016, was conducted. Patients underwent basal and dynamic hormonal evaluation. GHRH plus arginine test was performed in 21 patients (19 adults and 2 children). Among them, 9 patients were affected by left ventricle diastolic dysfunction and/or atrial or ventricular dilatation (HD group) and 12 patients did not have cardiovascular disease (non-HD group). Twenty-nine out of 31 patients (94%) had at least one endocrinopathy. We found severe or mild GH deficit (GHD) in all HD patients versus 3 patients in the non-HD group (p=0.001). Mean IGF-1 levels were significantly lower in the HD group than in non-HD subjects (53±30 versus 122±91 μg/L, p=0.04). Our study confirms the need to perform a dynamic evaluation of the GH-IGF1 axis in polytransfused patients, especially when heart dysfunction emerges. An intervention study with GH replacement therapy in a larger randomized adult population will clarify the role of GH/IGF axis on cardiovascular outcomes in this patient population.

GH Responsiveness to Combined GH-Releasing Hormone and Arginine Administration in Obese Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Reportedly, fibromyalgia (FM) is frequently associated with reduced IGF-1 levels and GH hyporesponsiveness to different GH stimulation tests. Since there is a high prevalence of obesity in FM, and obesity itself is characterized by hyposomatotropism, the aim of this study was to assess IGF-1 levels and GH responsiveness in sixteen severely obese women suffering from FM, who, subdivided into two subgroups on the basis of their age-dependent IGF-1 values (> or <−2 SDS), underwent the combined GHRH plus arginine test. Four out of 16 obese women with FM (25%) had low IGF-1 SDS values, 2 cases of this subgroup (12.5%) failing also to normally respond to the test. Among patients with normal GH responses, 4 showed a delayed GH peak. The subgroup with low IGF-1 SDS values had higher BMI than that with normal IGF-1 SDS. GH peak and area under the curve were not correlated with CRP, ESR, or tender point score, while significant correlations were found with fat-free mass and fat mass. In conclusion, this study shows the existence of a high prevalence of GH-IGF-1 dysfunction in patients with both FM and obesity, presumably as a consequence of the obese rather than fibromyalgic condition.

The shortened combined clonidine and arginine test for growth hormone deficiency is practical and specific: a diagnostic accuracy study

The growth hormone (GH) stimulation protocols for clonidine and arginine tests are non-standardized and can be lengthy. We examined the specificity of both tests using a shorter duration of timed samples: 90 min for clonidine and 60 min for arginine.We retrospectively studied all children who had GH stimulation with clonidine and arginine to test for GH deficiency (GHD). We compared the diagnostic accuracy of both reference and new shortened test (index).We reviewed 243 charts (11.4±4.1 years old; 74.5% males). The combined reference test was performed on 159 children, 29 (18.3%) tested positive for GHD on the combined index test, Kappa 0.98, false positive rate 1 (0.8%), specificity 0.99, 95th CI (0.96–1), and p=1.0. The specificity of both the clonidine and arginine single index tests was 0.98%.The shortened clonidine and arginine stimulation index tests have good specificity. This is a viable option for testing children for GHD.

Diagnostic value of a ghrelin test for the diagnosis of GH deficiency after subarachnoid hemorrhage

ObjectiveTo determine the diagnostic value of a ghrelin test in the diagnosis of GH deficiency (GHD) shortly after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).DesignProspective single-center observational cohort study.MethodsA ghrelin test was assessed after the acute phase of SAH and a GH-releasing hormone (GHRH)–arginine test 6 months post SAH. Primary outcome was the diagnostic value of a ghrelin test compared with the GHRH–arginine test in the diagnosis of GHD. The secondary outcome was to assess the safety of the ghrelin test, including patients' comfort, adverse events, and idiosyncratic reactions.ResultsForty-three survivors of SAH were included (15 males, 35%, mean age 56.6±11.7). Six out of 43 (14%) SAH survivors were diagnosed with GHD by GHRH–arginine test. In GHD subjects, median GH peak during ghrelin test was significantly lower than that of non-GHD subjects (5.4 vs 16.6,P=0.002). Receiver operating characteristics analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.869. A cutoff limit of a GH peak of 15 μg/l corresponded with a sensitivity of 100% and a false-positive rate of 40%. No adverse events or idiosyncratic reactions were observed in subjects undergoing a ghrelin test, except for one subject who reported flushing shortly after ghrelin infusion.ConclusionOwing to its convenience, validity, and safety, the ghrelin test might be a valuable GH provocative test, especially in the early phase of SAH.