Overnight metabolic fuel deficiency in patients treated conventionally for hypopituitarism.

Background: Hormone replacement in hypopituitary adults attempts to reproduce normal physiology. Conventional regimens fail to mimic normal hormone profiles over 24 hours.

Objective: To investigate the metabolic consequences of conventional hormone replacement in hypopituitary adults by measuring circulating levels of the major fuels, glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), glycerol and 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-OHB) over 24 hours in hypopituitary subjects and controls.

Dyslipidaemia is associated with insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovaries.

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance. Previous reports of lipid abnormalities in the syndrome have produced conflicting results which may, in part, be related to the lack of appropriate controls for the obese women with PCOS. Only one study has related lipid levels to insulin sensitivity.

Increased secretion of 32,33 split proinsulin after intravenous glucose in glucose-tolerant first-degree relatives of patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes of European, but not Asian, origin.

Objective: The aetiology of non-insulin dependent diabetes is unknown, but defective insulin secretion is a feature. The disease also has a strong genetic basis and first-degree relatives of patients have an increased risk of future diabetes. To investigate whether beta-cell dysfunction is an early feature of the disease, we studied insulin secretion in healthy first-degree relatives of patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes.

The effects of short and long-term growth hormone replacement therapy in hypopituitary adults on lipid metabolism and carbohydrate tolerance.

The effects of replacement with biosynthetic human GH on carbohydrate tolerance and lipid metabolism were studied in 40 hypopituitary adults during a randomized double blind, placebo-controlled trial for 6 months, followed by a 12-month open trial. The daily GH dose was 0.04 +/- 0.

Effect of glucocorticoid replacement therapy on glucose tolerance and intermediary metabolites in hypopituitary adults.

Background And Objectives: Excess impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus have been reported in hypopituitary adults on conventional replacement therapy including glucocorticoids. We investigated the effect of the glucocorticoid component on glucose tolerance and intermediary metabolites in hypopituitary adults.

Design: A 3-hour 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed on two study days, at least one week apart.