Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 63, 389-393, Copyright © 1986 by Endocrine Society

ARTICLES

Effect of cholinergic muscarinic receptor blockade on human growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone-(1-44)-induced GH secretion in acromegaly and type I diabetes mellitus

P Pietschmann, G Schernthaner and A Luger

In 10 patients with type I diabetes mellitus, 9 acromegalic patients, and 8 normal subjects, serum GH levels after an iv injection of 1 microgram/kg BW human GH-releasing hormone-(1-44) (GHRH) with and without cholinergic muscarinic receptor blockade (1 mg atropine, im, 15 min before GHRH) were measured. The GH increase after GHRH treatment in type I diabetic patients did not differ significantly from that in normal subjects. Pretreatment with atropine almost completely blocked the GH response to GHRH in patients with type I diabetes and normal subjects, but did not suppress the GH response to GHRH in acromegalic patients. These data indicate that cholinergic muscarinic receptors modulate GH secretion in normal man as well as in patients with type I diabetes mellitus, whereas acromegalic patients have a defect of cholinergic control of GH secretion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Maier, G. Schaller, B. Buranyi, P. Nowotny, G. Geyer, M. Wolzt, and A. Luger The Cholinergic System Controls Ghrelin Release and Ghrelin-Induced Growth Hormone Release in Humans J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2004; 89(9): 4729 - 4733. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]