Somatotrophic hormone in elderly diabetic and nondiabetic subjects

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to evaluate the basal and postprandial growth hormone levels in elderly diabetic and nondiabetic subjects in relation to their glycemic state. Ten elderly diabetic patients [group I], ten elderly nondiabetic subjects [group II] together with ten adult healthy volunteers [group III] as a control group were included in the study. The glycemic state was evaluated by estimation of fasting and postprandial blood glucose level for all cases as well as by estimation of glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] for elderly diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. Basal and postprandial growth hormone [GH] levels were estimated for all subjects by radio- immunoassay method. The results showed significant increase in basal [GH] level in group I as compared to groups II and III. No correlation was observed between HbA1c and basal GH level in elderly diabetic patients. However, there was a significant positive correlation between postprandial blood glucose level and postprandial [GH] in elderly diabetic patients. It is suggested that increase in GH level in elderly diabetic patients is metabolic in origin rather than being an independent factor in the pathogenesis of diabetics