Abstract
Anterior pituitary function was studied in 47 untreated diabetic patients. Diabetic patients were divided in two groups, one with retinopathy and the other without retinopathy.
1) Growth hormone (GH) response to arginine infusion was significantly higher in patients with retinopathy than in patients without retinopathy. Nonspecific secretion of GH in response to TRH was found in 21 patients (44.70). The age of GH responders to TRH was younger than nonresponders and 6 patients (28.5%) of the responders require insulin treatment.
2) TSH and PRL responses to TRH were not significantly different between two groups. TSH response was within normal limits, but PRL response in men was hyperactive.
3) LH and FSH responses to LH-RH were not significantly different between two groups, but LH response was higher than nondiabetic individuals.
Thus, hypersecretion of GH may be the cause as well as the consequence of diabetic retinopathy.
