Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 51, 771-775, Copyright © 1980 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

The influence of long-term low dose thyrotropin-releasing hormone infusions on serum thyrotropin and prolactin concentrations in man

CA Spencer, MA Greenstadt, WS Wheeler, OA Kletzky and JT Nicoloff

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate in man the relative thyrotroph and lactotroph response to a 48-h low dose constant TRH infusion. Before, during, and after the 75 ng/min TRH constant infusion, serum samples were obtained every 4 h in six euthyroid ambulating male subjects for measurements of TSH, PRL, T4, and T3. The TSH response, employing a specific and sensitive human TSH RIA, demonstrated a significant rise from the mean basal pre-TRH value of 2.35 +/- 0.64 microU/ml (+/- SEM) to 3.68 +/- 0.80 (P < 0.005) during the TRH infusion; this value fell below the basal level to 1.79 +/- 0.47 (P < 0.05) post infusion. Serum T4 values were increased above basal both during (P < 0.025) and after (P < 0.025) TRH infusion, whereas serum T3 values were not significantly changed throughout the entire study period. The daily TSH nocturnal surge was augmented in both absolute and relative terms during the first 24 h or the TRH infusion, unchanged during the second 24 h of infusion, and inhibited during the first postinfusion day. Other than a minimal increase in serum PRL during the first few hours of the infusion, no significant alteration in the mean basal concentration or circadian pattern of PRL secretion was evident during or after the low dose TRH infusion. These findings would indicate that 1) near-physiological stimulation of the pituitary with TRH produces a greater stimulation of TSH release than of PRL release and 2) the factor or factors producing the circadian TSH surge may not be mediated through fluctuations in endogenous TRH.