Impaired growth hormone response to human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor [GRF(1-44)] in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes.

Human pancreatic growth hormone releasing factor [GRF(1-44)] is the largest molecule of several peptides recently isolated from pancreatic tumours associated with acromegaly. It has been shown to stimulate the release of growth hormone in normal subjects and provides a safe and reliable tool for examining growth hormone release. A study was conducted to examine the release of growth hormone in patients with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) and Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes. GRF(1-44) stimulated the release of growth hormone in normal subjects and produced no side effects. A response of similar magnitude occurred in Type 1 diabetic patients despite their concomitant hyperglycaemia. In contrast, the response in Type 2 diabetes was significantly impaired compared with normal volunteers (p less than 0.05) and Type 1 diabetic patients (p less than 0.02). These findings may well indicate that there is a defect in central hormonal control in Type 2 diabetes.