The effect of 3 months of recombinant human growth hormone (GH) therapy on insulin and glucose-mediated glucose disposal and insulin secretion in GH-deficient adults: A minimal model analysis

Abstract

The effect of 3 months of low dose (120 μg/kg · week or 0.24 IU/kg · week) recombinant human GH (rhGH) treatment on glucose tolerance, insulin secretion, and insulin- and glucose-mediated glucose disposal was examined in 10 GH-deficient adults. The frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test was performed at baseline and after 1 week and 3 months of rhGH therapy and analyzed by the minimal model method of Bergman to provide estimates of the glucose decay rate, first and second phase insulin secretion (Φ1 and Φ2), fractional clearance of insulin, and glucose-mediated and insulin-mediated glucose disposal. Fasting glucose, insulin, C-peptide, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), and serum choles..