Comparison of the effect of insulin hypoglycemia and clonidine on secretion of growth hormone, cortisol and beta-endorphin in children and adolescents.

Plasma beta-endorphin, human growth hormone (hGH) and cortisol were measured concomitantly during insulin hypoglycemia (0.1 u/kg i.v.) or clonidine administration (0.075 mg/m2 orally) in children with idiopathic short stature. Whereas hypoglycemia raised plasma beta-endorphin levels, clonidine slightly decreased beta-endorphin in six subjects and had no effect in four. Cortisol levels increased following hypoglycemia and decreased markedly after clonidine. hGH increased to greater than 20 ng/ml in all but one subject. The findings are interpreted as further evidence that the hGH stimulation of clonidine is not stress-mediated.