Measurement of the 24 hour integrated plasma concentration of growth hormone, in assessing the response of acromegalic patients to treatment.

Abstract

The integrated concentration of growth hormone (ICGH) has been measured in fourteen acromegalic patients, and compared with the basal plasma growth hormone concentration (BGH). Seven patients were treated by trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery, and in these, similar percentage reductions of BGH and ICGH occurred after treatment. The other seven patients were treated with bromocriptine alone, and in these the percentage reduction of ICGH was significantly less than that of BGH. Measurements of basal plasma growth hormone concentration may be unreliable in assessing the response of acromegalic patients to treatment with bromocriptine. The ICGH can be measured easily on a single blood specimen obtained by continuous sampling over 24 h, and may be more reliable for this purpose.