Effects of short-term growth hormone treatment on PTH, calcitriol, thyroid hormones, insulin and glucagon.

We measured changes in serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), calcitriol, parathyroid hormone (PTH), thyroid hormones, insulin, and plasma glucagon in response to seven days of treatment with a pharmacological dosage of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) (0.1 IU/kg sc twice daily) or placebo in 20 normal male volunteers to evaluate whether the effect of r-hGH on biochemical bone markers could be attributed to changes in these hormones. Serum IGF-1 (p < 0.001) and vitamin D-binding protein (p < 0.001) increased steadily during treatment returning to baseline at day 14. Total calcitriol (p < 0.01) and free calcitriol index (p < 0.001) increased transiently at day 4. Furthermore, serum insulin (p < 0.001) and both total (p < 0.001) and free triiodothyronine (p < 0.02) increased during treatment, while serum PTH and plasma glucagon remained unchanged. In conclusion, pharmacological doses of r-hGH increased not only IGF-1 but also free-calcitriol index, insulin, and free T3. The increase in these hormones may be co-responsible for some of the observed effects of r-hGH on bone turnover and calcium homeostasis.