This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by JOHANSEN, J. S. Articles by SKAKKEBÆK, N. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by JOHANSEN, J. S. Articles by SKAKKEBÆK, N. E.

Effects of Growth Hormone (GH) on Plasma Bone Gla Protein in GH-Deficient Adults^*

Department of Clinical Chemistry, Glostrup Hospital (J.S.J., B.J.R., C.C.) Glostrup
the Department of Paediatrics, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen (S.A.P., N.E.S.) Copenhagen
the Second University Clinic of Internal Medicine, Århus Kommunehospital, (J.O.L.J., J.S.C.) Århus, Denmark

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Julia Sidenius Johansen, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Glostrup Hospital, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark.

Both deficiency and excess of GH are related to disturbances in calcium metabolism. Bone Gla protein (BGP) is the only specific marker of bone turnover identified in peripheral blood. We, therefore, determined plasma BGP in 21 adult GH-deficient patients treated with biosynthetic human GH in a double blind cross-over study. We also examined 9 patients with acromegaly before and after surgery.

The GH-deficient patients had normal initial plasma BGP concentrations, whereas the acromegalic patients had highly significantly increased concentrations (P = 0.001). During treatment with human GH, plasma BGP (and other nonspecific biochemical markers of bone turnover) increased significantly (P = 0.001). During placebo treatment plasma BGP showed baseline values. In the acromegalic patients a significant decrease in plasma BGP concentrations was seen 1 week after surgery.

The present study suggests that plasma BGP is a useful biochemical marker of the effect of treatment of both GH deficiency and GH excess/disorders.

^* This work was supported by grants from the Ib Henriksens Fond.

Received October 20, 1989.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. M. Drake, S. J. Howell, J. P. Monson, and S. M. Shalet Optimizing GH Therapy in Adults and Children Endocr. Rev., August 1, 2001; 22(4): 425 - 450. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Ohlsson, B.-A. Bengtsson, O. G. P. Isaksson, T. T. Andreassen, and M. C. Slootweg Growth Hormone and Bone Endocr. Rev., February 1, 1998; 19(1): 55 - 79. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. V. Carroll, E. R. Christ the members of Growth Hormone Research Soci, B. A. Bengtsson, L. Carlsson, J. S. Christiansen, D. Clemmons, R. Hintz, K. Ho, Z. Laron, P. Sizonenko, et al. Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adulthood and the Effects of Growth Hormone Replacement: A Review J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., February 1, 1998; 83(2): 382 - 395. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Bianda, Y. Glatz, R. Bouillon, E. R. Froesch, and C. Schmid Effects of Short-Term Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) or Growth Hormone (GH) Treatment on Bone Metabolism and on Production of 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol in GH-Deficient Adults J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 1998; 83(1): 81 - 87. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. A. Toogood, J. E. Adams, P. A. O'Neill, and S. M. Shalet Elderly Patients with Adult-Onset Growth Hormone Deficiency Are Not Osteopenic J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 1997; 82(5): 1462 - 1466. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]