Growth rate and growth hormone response to growth hormone-releasing hormone challenge in slowly growing children during chronic administration of clonidine

What Was Tested

This controlled clinical trial paper looks at GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone).

In this study the effects of chronic administration of clonidine, an alpha-2-adrenergic agonist, on the growth rate and GH response to GHRH in 12 "slowly growing" children were reported.

The protocol of the study consisted in five periods of growth rate, insulin-like growth factor-1, basal and GHRH-stimulated GH level evaluation: 1) 6-month pretreatment (P1); 2) 6-month placebo administration (PO); 3) after 4 months of therapy (P1); 4) after 4 months of clonidine withdrawal (P2); 5) after 4 months of therapy reinstatement (P3).

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were children, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a placebo-controlled study.

Some participants received a placebo instead of GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone), giving a reference point.

The methods mention a period of 4 months.

What Was Measured

The protocol of the study consisted in five periods of growth rate, insulin-like growth factor-1, basal and GHRH-stimulated GH level evaluation: 1) 6-month pretreatment (P1); 2) 6-month placebo administration (PO); 3) after 4 months of therapy (P1); 4) after 4 months of clonidine withdrawal (P2); 5) after 4 months of therapy reinstatement (P3).

The subject headings attached to it are Age Determination by Skeleton, Body Height, Clonidine, Growth, Growth Hormone, Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a placebo-controlled study of GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone) over 4 months.

The publication is from 1995 (Journal of endocrinological investigation), a journal based in Italy.

More context: the GHRH (Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone) compound page, all human trials.