[Growth hormone, LH and FSH under function dynamical conditions in serum and basic corticol and testosterone serum levels in brain-injured patients during dexamethasone treatment].

In 14 male patients with severe head injury the following hormones were measured by radioimmunological methods in plasma: Basal levels of LH, FSH, GH, testosterone and total corticoids; furthermore LH-releasing-hormone- and insulin-hypoglycaemia-tests were done. The investigations have shown, that in patients with severe head injury no essential impairment of the hypothalamus-hypophyseal-system controlled by LH-, FSH- and GH-secretion could be detected. Diminished testosterone and accelerated LH-levels are measurable, whereas total corticoids were not significantly accelerated. Because of treatment with dexamethasone the effect of this substance has to be discussed.