Abstract
We studied the effect of treatment with recombinant human GH in an anemic patient with panhypopituitarism in which hemoglobin (Hb) concentration remained as low as 11.0 g/dl in spite of appropriate replacement with thyroid and adrenocortical hormones. Recombinant human GH was subcutaneously and constantly infused for 12 months using a portable syringe pump at a rate of 0.25 U/kg/week. After the treatment with human GH plasma erythropoietin (EPO) levels increased from 12.2 to 25.1 mIU/ml, with a concomitant increase of Hb concentration to 13.6 g/dl. When the administration of human GH was interrupted, both plasma EPO levels and Hb concentrations decreased. There was a close correlation between plasma GH and EPO levels before and during the human GH administration (y=2.444x+1 3.423, r=0.641, p<0.05). Plasma GH levels were well correlated with Hb concentrations before and during human GH administration (y=0.529x+11.313, r=0.690, p<0.01). Plasma IGF4 levels were also correlated with Hb concentrations (y=0.007x+10.874, r=0.832, p<0.001), but not with plasma EPO levels. These findings suggest that GH treatment may be useful in anemic patients with panhypopituitarism.
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