The effects of exogenous rat growth hormone therapy on growth of uremic rats fed an 8% protein diet.

Although the mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of chronic renal insufficiency on growth are poorly understood, large doses of growth hormone (GH) have been used to improve growth. The present study examines the effects of rat GH and a reduced (8%) protein diet on 75% nephrectomized weanling rats by measuring changes in growth parameters, food utilization, serum albumin concentration, and muscle water content. Significantly greater improvement in growth was found in the GH-treated uremic rats compared with the uremic controls. The mean percent change in wt, length (nose to tail tip), and cranial biparietal diameter was significantly increased in the GH-treated uremic rats, compared with the uremic controls, but foot length and femur length showed only moderate improvement. Food utilization efficiency and serum albumin concentration were significantly higher in GH-treated uremic rats compared with uremic controls, achieving levels that were not different from sham-operated rats. Muscle water content was not significantly different between GH-treated uremic rats, uremic controls, and sham-operated rats. Thus, rat GH treatment administered at an early age in mild renal insufficiency significantly improved overall growth, food efficiency, and serum albumin concentrations, despite a low protein diet, suggesting that further evaluation of this form of therapy for growth failure of uremia is warranted.