Growth hormone enhances basement membrane thickening in experimental diabetes. A preliminary report.

Injection of porcine growth hormone (200 microgram) or saline 5 days a week for 16 to 20 weeks in streptozotocin-diabetic rats showed that compared to saline growth hormone produced a 2 1/2-fold larger increase in glomerular capillary basement membrane thickness (2p = 0.027). The possible significance of this effect of an elevated level of growth hormone for diabetic microangiopathy is discussed.