Perioperative growth hormone improves wound healing and immunologic function in rats receiving adriamycin.

Administration of perioperative growth hormone may reverse alterations in wound healing and immunologic function in animals receiving chemotherapy. F344 rats were randomized into three groups: Control (n = 12), Chemo (n = 13), and Chemo + GH (n = 12). Human growth hormone (GH) (3 mg/kg sc bid) was begun on Day 0 and continued for 2 weeks. On Day 7, all animals underwent a standardized midline laparotomy, gastrotomy, and placement of a subcutaneous wound sponge. In addition, a single dose of adriamycin (5 mg/kg i.v.) was administered to those animals receiving chemotherapy. On Day 12, right hindlimb footpads were challenged with 50 micrograms of dinitrochlorobenzene. On Day 14, bursting strengths of the laparotomy and gastrotomy were measured. The wound sponge and gastric anastomosis were analyzed for hydroxyproline (OH-Pro) content. Animal spleens were weighed and splenocytes harvested for NK cell activity. Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) is reported as percentage of hind-limb foot pad swelling (%FPS). Data are expressed as means +/- SD and comparisons by ANOVA. The laparotomy bursting strength (mm Hg) in the Chemo + GH group (81 +/- 14) was significantly higher than that in the Chemo group (66 +/- 15, P < 0.05). The anastomotic tissue OH-Pro levels (mumole/g dry tissue) in the Chemo + GH group (107.9 +/- 15.2) were significantly higher than those in the Chemo group (62.9 +/- 8.5, P < 0.001). GH increased splenic weights (mg) over those of Chemo (0.50 +/- 0.13 vs 0.37 +/- 0.05, P < 0.05). NK cell activity (% killing) was significantly elevated in the Chemo+GH group compared to that in Chemo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)