Growth hormone corrects acidosis-induced renal nitrogen wasting and renal phosphate depletion and attenuates renal magnesium wasting in humans.

We have shown previously that chronic hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis (CMA) induces severe negative nitrogen balance and renal phosphate depletion and decreases serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in association with growth hormone (GH) insensitivity in humans. The present study investigated whether acidosis-induced renal nitrogen wasting and renal phosphate depletion are mediated by GH insensitivity/low IGF-1 and thereby responsive to GH treatment. The effects of GH on acidosis-induced changes in divalent cation metabolism and acidosis-induced hypothyroidism were also investigated. CMA (delta[HCO3], -10.5 mmol/L) was induced in six healthy male subjects ingesting 4.2 mmol NH4Cl/kg body weight [BW]/d for 7 days. Recombinant human GH (0.1 U/kg BW/12 h subcutaneously) was administered for 7 days while acid feeding was continued. GH increased serum IGF-1 from 22.1 +/- 1.4 to 87 +/- 8.4 nmol/L (control level, 36.4 +/- 2.2). GH decreased urinary nitrogen excretion, resulting in a cumulative nitrogen retention of 2,404 mmol, thereby correcting the acidosis-induced cumulative increase in nitrogen excretion (2,506 mmol) despite continued acid feeding. GH attenuated the acidosis-induced hyperphosphaturia (cumulative phosphate retention, 91 mmol) and corrected the hypophosphatemia. GH did not affect acidosis-induced ionized hypercalcemia, but further exacerbated acidosis-induced hypercalciuria (cumulative loss, 27.3 mmol). GH significantly further increased serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) and further decreased intact PTH (from 10 +/- 1 to 6 +/- 1 pg/mL). Acidosis also induced hypomagnesemia and hypermagnesuria (cumulative loss, 9.4 mmol, ie, renal magnesium wasting), a novel finding, which was significantly attenuated by GH (cumulative retention, 5.0 mmol). In conclusion, GH corrected acidosis-induced renal nitrogen wasting, which may be caused, at least in part, by decreased IGF-1 levels. GH further increased serum 1,25(OH)2D and the systemic calcium load, which account for the suppression of parathyroid hormone (PTH) despite renal PO4 retention and correction of hypophosphatemia. GH attenuated acidosis-induced renal magnesium wasting.