Hyperostosis frontalis and prolactin secretion.

The authors have evaluated the secretion of prolactin after dopaminergic blockade with metoclopramide in female patients revealing hyperostosis frontalis. A slight but significant increase of PRL mobilization in patients with HF was found as compared to healthy women.

Naloxone modulates gustatory perception, but not insulin and C-peptide release, in sham-fed human subjects.

In order to determine the role of the endogenous opiatergic system in modulation of human pancreatic B-cell function and taste perception, we measured the reactivity of gustatory receptors (electrogustometry), insulin and C-peptide serum concentration (radioimmunoassay) in six normal men (aged 24-26 years) during sham feeding and 0.8 mg of naloxone or placebo (saline) administration. We did not observe any differences in insulin and C-peptide concentrations during tease feeding independently of placebo or naloxone infusion. The verge of electric reactivity of gustatory perception significantly decreased in the period of food presentation and saline administration but did not change under naloxone. Our electrogustometry results support the hypothesis pointing out the role of endogenous opiates in modulation of human taste.

Prolactin and thyrotropin response to thyrotropin-releasing-hormone in adolescent females with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus.

Prolactin and thyrotropin response to TRH and basal gonadotropins levels in blood were investigated in insulin-treated adolescent females with regular menstruation cycles (Group I) and menstruation disturbances (Group II) compared with control, healthy girls. No significant differences were found in TSH secretion after TRH administration and basal LH, FSH levels between the observed groups. Blood basal PRL levels were significantly lower in young females in Group II, and a highly increased mobilization of PRL secretion (delta % PRL)--masked hyperprolactinaemia--in all of the groups of diabetic girls was revealed. Cytological examination of vaginal smears confirmed hypoestrogenic status of girls from Group II compared with Group I and the control group.

Relationship between insulin and somatotropin in obesity.

The authors have estimated a correlation between the total insulin areas after glucose loading and total somatotropin areas during insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in 30 patients with obesity, as well as in a selected group of 16 patients with simple (essential) obesity. A significant negative correlation was found in both investigated groups. A new hypothesis assuming hyposecretion of somatotropin in obese subjects as a result of hyperinsulinaemia and subsequent increased somatomedin generation is suggested.

Metabolic disorders in myocardial infarction. Changes in blood serum zinc, growth hormone, insulin and glucose concentration in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

The authors examined the concentrations of zinc, HGH, insulin and glucose in blood serum of 40 patients with acute myocardial infarction. Zinc and HGH concentrations in blood serum correlated well with changes in the clinical state in these patients. The more severe the condition of the patient, the greater zinc concentration fall and HGH concentration rise in blood serum were noted. All the changes were statistically significant (P less than 0.001) in cases of severe clinical course and most distinct in cardiogenic shock. On the other hand, in MI of mild course, zinc concentration fall in blood serum was not accompanied by HGH rise. A positive correlation between the concentrations of zinc and HGH found in normal subjects became negative in patients with acute MI of severe course. The changes of zinc and HGH concentrations seem to be due to the non-specific effect of acute myocardial stress, particularly enhanced in MI with severe course and cardiogenic shock, Observation of the intensity of changes may have prognostic significance due to the fact that they were most distinctive in MI of most severe course.

Blood sugar and immunoreactive insulin in women with hypothalamic, maternal and simple obesity. Part I.

There were 46 women included in this experiment: 18 with simple obesity, 7 with maternal obesity, 8 with hypothalamic obesity and 13 of the control group (non-obese women). Changes of glycaemia and insulinaemia in blood serum during a test of oral glucose administration were ascertained. A plain handicap of glucose tolerance in simple obesity and maternal obesity groups was observed. In the case of the women with simple obesity an insulin increased secretion with one peak of the hormone release was found following the glucose administration. In the hypothalamic obesity group two peaks of insulin release were noted, and in the maternal obesity group a bigger maximal output of insulin was noted after the glucose administration together with two release peaks and a positive correlation between the total insulin area and anthropometric indices of excessive body weight.

Growth hormone secretion in women with hypothalamic, maternal and simple obesity. Part II.

Dynamic quality of HGH secretion in women with hypothalamic, maternal and simple obesity has been examined by means of the following tests: 1. glucose loading 2. hypoglycaemia following the insulin administration. Comparisons have been made with regard to normal, non-obese women. In all the obese women HGH mobilization was noted to be handicapped under the influence of the after-insulin hypoglycaemia. In some patients of all the obesity groups a paradoxical response of HGH secretion after the glucose administration was noted. In some cases of the hypothalamic and simple obesity groups there occurred a paradoxical response of HGH secretion relating to the insulin hypotlycaemia test. Differences discovered in the dynamics of HGH secretion with appropriateness to the etiopathogenetic forms of obesity are slight: their significance is rather quantitative than qualitative.