The catecholamine response to hypoglycemia in children with isolated growth hormone deficiency syndromes and multiple pituitary hormone defects.

We examined the catecholamine response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in 46 short children evaluated for growth hormone (GH) deficiency by both pharmacologic stimulation and integrated concentration of GH. Twelve patients had quantitatively normal GH secretion by both pharmacologic stimulation and integrated concentration of GH (GHNORM). Twenty-two patients had normal GH to pharmacologic stimulation but subnormal integrated concentration of GH (GHND). Twelve patients had GH deficiency by both tests (GHD): six had isolated GH deficiency (GHD type 1) and six had multiple hormone deficiencies (GHD type 2). There was no significant difference between the peak epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol responses of GH-NORM, GHND, and GHD type 1 patients. The mean peak epinephrine response of GHD type 2 patients was significantly lower (564 +/- 561 pg/ml, p less than 0.03) compared to the other patient groups. There was no significant difference between the peak norepinephrine levels between GHD type 2 patients and the remaining groups. There was no correlation between decrease in blood glucose and either increase in growth hormone, catecholamine, or cortisol concentrations. There was a significant correlation between log peak epinephrine and peak cortisol response (r = 0.53, p less than 0.0002) of the 46 subjects. Neither the basal nor stimulated catecholamine levels correlated with the integrated concentration of cortisol. We conclude that isolated GH deficiency is not associated with impairment of the catecholamine response to hypoglycemia; impairment of the epinephrine response to hypoglycemia is only associated with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies; in children, the degree of glucose lowering is not correlated with the magnitude of peak GH, catecholamine, or cortisol responses.