Suppression of plasma growth hormone levels with glucose infusion in patients with acromegaly.

Intravenous glucose infusion which increased blood glucose levels over 27-8 mmo1/1 suppressed plasma GH levels by 41-74% in five acromegalic patients with basal concentrations of less than 20 mu/1, but not in six patients with basal levels over 80 mu/1. Oral 100 g glucose loading had little suppressing effect in both groups. These results appear to indicate that the suppressibility with hyperglycaemia is partially retained or restored in some, if not all, patients of acromegaly with lower GH secreting activity.