Short-term gluten challenge in children with coeliac disease does not impair spontaneous growth hormone secretion.

BACKGROUND

Growth retardation in children with coeliac disease has been attributed to impaired growth hormone (GH) secretion observed in stimulation tests.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at investigating the possible change in spontaneous GH secretion during a standardised gluten challenge.

PATIENTS

Twelve children with previous enteropathy suggesting coeliac disease and a normal pre-challenge biopsy on a gluten-free diet were included; eight of them completed all parts of the study, including repeated 24-h GH sampling.

METHODS

At the start and the end of a 5-6 weeks standardised gluten challenge, blood was drawn at a constant rate for 24 h and collected for GH analysis at 20-min intervals. The graph of plotted GH values was analysed by means of a computer program (PULSAR).

RESULTS

No significant changes were seen in the measures of maximum GH peak, baseline GH values, area under the curve over the baseline (AUCb), the number of GH peaks or mean GH concentration. GH secretion rate (GHt) increased slightly. None of the characteristics of the 24-h profile was significantly correlated to the change of IGF-I.

CONCLUSION

No impaired GH secretion was found. Thus, we speculate that decreased growth rate in celiac disease may not be primarily caused by changes in GH secretion. Instead it may be caused by changed peripheral sensitivity to GH.