Simultaneous study of somatotrophic and corticotrophic pituitary secretions during ornithine infusion test.

An ornithine infusion test was performed in fifty-four children with constitutional short stature. The ornithine infusion induced an elevated level of GH at 45 min (mean value = 873 pmol/l) and a similar rise of cortisol levels (mean value = 544 nmol/l). An important peak of ACTH appeared 15 min before the increase of cortisol. In three panhypopituitary dwarfs studied, no elevation of GH or cortisol was observed. The well tolerated ornithine infusion test allows the simultaneous study of the somatotropic and corticotropic pituitary secretions in children with delayed growth.