Insulin secretion in growth hormone-deficient children and the effect of the sulfonylurea drug glibenclamide on linear growth

Abstract

The effect of glucose on insulin release and the influence of glibenclamide on linear growth were determined in five growth hormone (STH) deficient children who were treated with human growth hormone. It was found that the administration of 5 I.U. of human growth hormone twice a week improved the defective insulin secretion while prolongation of the week improved the defective insulin secretion while prolongation of the interval between growth hormone injections to 7 days had no effect on beta-cell function. The addition of treatment with 5 mg/day glibenclamide to the regular human growth hormone injections resulted in an increased growth rate in four children while one patient developed hypoglycemic symptoms. The results show that STH-deficient children may benefit from combined treatment with human growth hormone plus glibenclamide.