Twenty-four-hour plasma growth hormone (GH) profiles, urinary GH excretion, and plasma insulin-like growth factor-I and -II levels in prepubertal children with chronic renal insufficiency and severe growth retardation

Abstract

We studied 24-h plasma GH profiles, maximal GH responses to arginine provocation and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-II levels in plasma in 22 euthyroid prepubertal children (mean age, 9.5 yr) with chronic renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate, <20 mL/min-1.73 m2) and severe growth retardation [mean (±SD) height SD score (SDS), −2.8 (1.1)]. The 24-h GH profiles were analyzed using the Pulsar program. Girls had significantly higher 24-h GH secretion than boys (P < 0.004). Children with end-stage nephrotic syndrome had higher baseline GH levels and total area under the curve (AUCo) than patients with dysplastic kidneys (P < 0.05), while the area under the curve above baseline (AUCb) was similar in all types of renal diseases. The type of treatment (conservative, peritoneal, hemodialysis) did not significantly influence the 24-h GH secretion. No correlation was found between 24-h GH profiles and age, height SDS for chronological age, height velocity SDS for bone age, and weight for hei...