[Behavior of the growth hormone in severe cerebral trauma with secondary injuries of the brain stem. New viewpoints for therapy I].

19 patients developing signs os secondary brain stem involvement after severe head-brain injury underwent human growth hormone (HGH) provocation tests with arginine to determine the significance of HGH during the course of catabolism due to vegetative dysfunction. The results of provocation suggest a normal release of HGH to arginine stimulus during the postagression syndrome. The release decreases in the further course dependent on duration of intensive therapy and degree of brain injury. During recovery the HGH-release slowly became normalized. There was no correlation between blood glucose levels before as well as after stimulation and the percentage increase of HGH. A negative correlation was found between urea-nitrogen-excretion and HGH increase. This finding suggests the retention of nitrogen due to an elevated release of HGH after arginine-stimulation. The therapeutic aspects of these results were discussed, especially the effect of HGH and beta-blocking agents on the traumatically disturbed metabolism and also the value of a higher supply of insulin and amino acids.