Combined oral L-dopa and propranolol for growth hormone provocation.

A convenient test of growth hormone (GH) provocation using oral doses of L-dopa and propranolol (L + P) is compared with insulin-induced hypoglycemia (IIH) in 28 children and adolescents with short stature. In eight of these children, growth hormone deficiency was diagnosed when GH failed to rise above 7 ng/ml. The GH levels of the remaining GH-responsive children were significantly higher after administration of L + P (P less than .

Superior mesenteric artery (Wilkie's) syndrome: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Of the three cases of superior mesenteric artery (Wilkie's) syndrome presented, one was associated with anorexia nervosa; this association has not been reported before. Two patients were treated surgically with a duodenojejunostomy, and one was treated medically. Vascular compression of the duodenum is a controversial subject.