Growth hormone and pulmonary disease: Metabolic effects in patients receiving parenteral nutrition

Ulrich Suchner, Michael M. Rothkopf, Galen Stanislaus, David H. Elwyn, Vladamir Kvetan, Jeffrey Askanazi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

72 Scopus citations

Abstract

Six severely malnourished patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were maintained for 3 days with infusions of 5% dextrose in water followed by 12 days of eucaloric total patenteral nutrition. On days 8 through 11, they received 30 μg/d of growth hormone and twice this amount on days 11 through 15. Growth hormone had no significant effects on the plasma concentration of glucose, cortisol, or glucagon but caused a 50% increase in insulin and a 250% increase in somatomedin C concentrations. A positive nitrogen balance of 2 g/d due to growth hormone was probably mediated by insulin. Growth hormone-induced increases in energy expenditure and fat oxidation and decrease in glucose oxidation cannot be accounted for by insulin. The ability of growth hormone to improve nitrogen balance may be particularly important for malnourished patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who, because of their pulmonary insufficiency, are intolerant of excess nutrients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1225-1230
Number of pages6
JournalArchives of internal medicine
Volume150
Issue number6
StatePublished - Jun 1990

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine

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