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Growth hormone response to exercise in asthmatic and normal children

  • Pneumology
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Abstract

Maximal growth hormone (GH) increments following exercise were compared in asthmatic (n=14) and normal (n=8) children. Exercise, which consisted of 6 min ergometer cycling while breathing cold dry (CD) air, induced asthma in all asthmatic patients but not in normal subjects. Baseline plasma GH levels were similar in both groups. Following exercise, however, asthmatic patients had significantly higher mean GH increments than normal subjects (14.8 vs 4.9 ng/ml,P<0.025). To evaluate the possible role of bronchoconstriction in the GH response all subjects exercised again, this time while breathing warm humid (WH) air. Despite the absence of exercise-induced asthma (EIA) while breathing WH air, asthmatic patients still had significantly higher mean GH increments than normal subjects (9.2 vs 2.3 ng/ml,P<0.05). We conclude that some asthmatic children show excessive GH secretion after exercise regardless of inspired air conditions or the development of EIA.

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Abbreviations

CD:

cold dry

EIA:

exercise-induced asthma

FEV1 :

1-second forced expiratory volume

GH:

growth hormone

HR:

heart rate

VE:

ventilation

WH:

warm humid

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, J. G. Strijdom Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa

    I. Amirav, R. J. Dowdeswell & M. Plit

  2. Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    V. R. Panz, B. I. Joffe & H. C. Seftel

Authors
  1. I. Amirav
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  2. R. J. Dowdeswell
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  3. M. Plit
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  4. V. R. Panz
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  5. B. I. Joffe
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  6. H. C. Seftel
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Amirav, I., Dowdeswell, R.J., Plit, M. et al. Growth hormone response to exercise in asthmatic and normal children. Eur J Pediatr 149, 443–446 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02009670

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02009670

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