Impaired glucose, insulin, and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate responses to glucagon in growth hormone deficient children.

The glucose, insulin, and adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) responses to intravenous glucagon were found to be impaired in growth hormone deficient children. The delta plasma glucose response in 22 normal children was 54.5 mg/dl compared to 38.4 mg/dl in the 11 growth hormone deficient children; t = 2.74, P less than 0.02. For serum insulin, the comparative values were 65.3 muU/ml (n = 20) vs. 29.8 muU/ml (n = 11); t = 3.03, P less than 0.01. For urinary cyclic AMP, the comparative values were 0.46 mumol/m2 (n = 22) vs. 0.18 mumol/m2 (n = 10); t = 2.48, P less than 0.02. Growth hormone therapy resulted in a significant improvement in the glucose, insulin, and cyclic AMP responses to intravenous glucagon in the growth hormone deficient group of children.