The influence of diabetes and its control on circulating levels of growth hormone and growth hormone-dependent, insulin-like growth factors (IGF) remains controversial. In the present study, the effect of a 1-wk period of intensive insulin therapy on growth hormone and IGF I and II has been determined in 19 young (age 13–22 yr), insulin-dependent (type I) subjects with diabetes mellitus. IGF I was low during conventional insulin therapy (198 ± 20 versus 438 ± 38 ng/ml in nondiabetic subjects, P < 0.001), and rose within the week of intensified treatment (to 255 ±15 ng/ml, P < 0.005), concomitant with a reduction in plasma glucose from 233 ± 16 to 110 ± 5 mg/dl. IGF I rose despite a significant fall in mean 24-h growth hormone levels from 14.1 ± 2.2 to 9.0 ± 1.2 ng/ml (P < 0.02). The mean IGF II value for the diabetic subjects (504 ± 39 ng/ml) was not significantly different from that of the nondiabetic control group (506 ± 30 ng/ml, P > 0.3) and was not altered by intensified therapy. However, four individual patients with very low IGF I also had depressed IGF II (248 ±16 ng/ml), which was corrected (to 377 ± 35 ng/ml) with improved metabolic control. These data suggest that elevated growth hormone levels in poorly controlled diabetes are ineffective in IGF I generation and that this defect is at least partially corrected by acute improvement in control. The rise in IGF I levels accompanying intensive insulin treatment may suppress the excessive secretion of growth hormone. IGF II levels appear to be affected only by the most severe reductions of growth hormone activity.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Original Contributions|
December 01 1984
Effect of Diabetes and its Control on Insulin-like Growth Factors in the Young Subject with Type I Diabetes
Stephanie A Amiel;
Stephanie A Amiel
Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Clinical Research Centers, Yale University School of Medicine; and the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Search for other works by this author on:
Robert S Sherwin;
Robert S Sherwin
Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Clinical Research Centers, Yale University School of Medicine; and the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Search for other works by this author on:
Raymond L Hintz;
Raymond L Hintz
Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Clinical Research Centers, Yale University School of Medicine; and the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Search for other works by this author on:
Joseph M Gertner;
Joseph M Gertner
Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Clinical Research Centers, Yale University School of Medicine; and the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Search for other works by this author on:
C Martin Press;
C Martin Press
Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Clinical Research Centers, Yale University School of Medicine; and the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Search for other works by this author on:
William V Tamborlane
William V Tamborlane
Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, and Clinical Research Centers, Yale University School of Medicine; and the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, California
Search for other works by this author on:
Address reprint requests to Dr. S. A. Amiel, Department of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, P. O. Box 3333, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.
Diabetes 1984;33(12):1175–1179
Article history
Received:
February 10 1984
Revision Received:
May 11 1984
Accepted:
May 11 1984
PubMed:
6389234
Citation
Stephanie A Amiel, Robert S Sherwin, Raymond L Hintz, Joseph M Gertner, C Martin Press, William V Tamborlane; Effect of Diabetes and its Control on Insulin-like Growth Factors in the Young Subject with Type I Diabetes. Diabetes 1 December 1984; 33 (12): 1175–1179. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.33.12.1175
Download citation file:
53
Views