Secretion of growth hormone and cortisol in obese subjects with asymptomatic reactive hypoglycemia.

Secretion of growth hormone and cortisol during 6-hour glucose tolerance test was investigated in obese subjects with asymptomatic reactive hypoglycemia (n = 27), obese controls (n = 22) and nonobese individuals (n = 18). Asymptomatic reactive hypoglycemia was defined as the presence of blood glucose value(s) of 40 mg/dl and below in the posthyperglycemic period of the test with no related symptoms. Growth hormone and cortisol levels following glucose nadir were significantly higher in obese asymptomatic hypoglycemics than in obese controls. Specific post-nadir increment (delta growth hormone) was higher in hypoglycemic (6.41 +/- 0.48/Mean +/- SE/) than in nonhypoglycemic obese subjects (1.04 +/- 0.28 ng/ml). Similar difference was found for delta cortisol (8.48 +/- 1.1 vs. -0.81 +/- 0.63 microgram/dl). In contrast to growth hormone, significant inverse proportion was found between delta cortisol and blood glucose nadir (i.e. the lower glucose nadintrols. Cortisol response seems to be more important in the diagnosis of previous hypoglycemic condition. Results suggest that obese subjects with asymptomatic reactive hypoglycemia are similar to manifest reactive hypoglycemics.