Engel W K, Siddique T, Nicoloff J T
Lancet. 1983 Jul 9;2(8341):73-5. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)90060-0.
Very high intravenous doses (2-19 mg/min) of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH, L-pyroglutamyl-L-histidyl-L-prolinamide) given to 12 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) produced a moderate to marked improvement of functions caused by deficiency of lower motor neurons (weakness) and upper motor neurons (spasticity). The improvement was sustained throughout the infusion and for about 1 h thereafter; sometimes a slight improvement was evident 20 h after infusion. At a given dose benefits and side-effects were more evident in men than in women. Whether TRH is replacing an ALS-associated deficiency or is simply a symptomatic treatment is unknown. The results of this study raise the possibility of a treatment for ALS, and may provide new insight into its pathogenesis. The potential response to TRH of spasticity and/or lower motor neuron involvement of other causes is proposed.
给12例肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS）患者静脉注射非常高剂量（2 - 19毫克/分钟）的促甲状腺激素释放激素（TRH，L - 焦谷氨酰 - L - 组氨酰 - L - 脯氨酰胺）后，由下运动神经元缺乏（肌无力）和上运动神经元缺乏（痉挛）导致的功能出现了中度到显著改善。这种改善在输注过程中持续存在，并在输注后持续约1小时；有时在输注20小时后仍有轻微改善。在给定剂量下，男性的获益和副作用比女性更明显。TRH是替代与ALS相关的缺乏，还是仅仅是一种对症治疗尚不清楚。本研究结果增加了治疗ALS的可能性，并可能为其发病机制提供新的见解。还提出了TRH对其他原因引起的痉挛和/或下运动神经元受累可能产生的反应。
