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1 Institute Medical Clinic,
University of Parma, Italy
In order to elucidate the hypothalamic-pituitary
function in diabetes, the pituitary responsiveness of LH, FSH, prolactin (PRL), and growth
hormone (GH) to a thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH, 200 µg) plus gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH, 100 µg) intravenous bolus
injection was studied in a group of 13 insulindependent male patients aged 23-47 years.
The results obtained for gonadotropin secretion showed LH responses to be significantly
higher than those obtained in a group of controls, while basal and stimulated FSH levels
were not different from those in the controls.
There were no significant differences in PRL
secretion between diabetics and control subjects. However, most of the diabetic patients
studied (nine out of 12) showed an unexpected
but definite GH response to the combined TRH
+ GnRH test. In conclusion, the observed pattern of gonadotropin release is consistent with
gonadal failure previously documented in diabetics. However, the paradoxical GH responses
suggest that diabetes also affects the function
of the hypothalamic-pituitary unit in a manner
similar to that documented in other pathologic
conditions.
Key words: pituitary function, diabetes, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), growth hormone
Submitted on May 12, 1980
Revised on October 21, 1980
Accepted on November 10, 1980
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