Pattern of growth hormone response to insulin, arginine and haemodialysis in uraemic children.

Plasma growth hormone (GH) concentrations after insulin and arginine stimulation were estimated in 11 dialyzed and 6 non-dialyzed children with chronic renal failure. Twenty healthy children served as controls. Plasma GH peak concentration and estimation of the total area under the plasma GH concentration-time curve by the trapezoidal rule were used to evaluate results. Elevated basal GH levels and an exaggerated response to the stimuli were seen in several of the patients. The causes of the abnormal GH secretion and the role of high GH levels in carbohydrate intolerance are discussed. No consistent pattern was seen in GH secretion during haemodialysis without glucose in the dialysate. In children undergoing haemodialysis with a fluid containing glucose, plasma GH fell considerably.