Diabetic Ketosis: Serial Plasma Growth Hormone Concentrations During Therapy

Plasma growth hormone (GH) concentrations were measured serially during therapy in twelve cases of diabetic ketosis. The initial plasma GH levels varied widely, ranging from 2 to 215 ng./ml., and were not related to the clinical severity of the ketosis, the degree of depression of the serum bicarbonate, or the magnitude or the hyperglycemia. An increase in the plasma GH concentration followed the institution of insulin therapy in ten of twelve cases. This rise was associated with a fall in the plasma glucose concentration though the latter reached hypoglycemic levels in only one instance. There was no relationship between the total insulin administered during the first twelve hours of therapy and the area under the GH curve for the same period or the initial or peak plasma GH concentration. Thus, despite its known diabetogenic effect and the frequent occurrence of elevated plasma concentrations in ketotic diabetics, growth hormone cannot be a constant major determinant of the insulin resistance of diabetic ketosis.