TY - JOUR
T1 - Extrahypothalamic growth-hormone-releasing factor (grf) secretion is a rare cause of acromegaly
T2 - Plasma grf levels in 177 acromegalic patients
AU - Besser, G. Michael
AU - Frohman, Lawrence A.
AU - Leong, Denis A.
AU - Thominet, Jennifer
AU - Downs, Thomas
AU - Hellmann, Pattie
AU - Chitwood, Jean
AU - Vaughan, Joan M.
AU - Vale, Wylie
AU - Besser, G. Michael
AU - Lytras, N.
AU - Edwards, Christopher R.W.
AU - Schaaf, Marcus
AU - Gelato, Marie
AU - Krieger, Dorothy T.
AU - Marcovitz, Sorana
AU - Ituarte, Eloy
AU - Boyd, Aubrey E.
AU - Malarkey, William B.
AU - Blackard, William G.
AU - Prioleau, George
AU - Melmed, Shlomo
AU - Charest, Nancy J.
PY - 1984/11
Y1 - 1984/11
N2 - To assess the frequency with which acromegaly is caused by ectopic secretion of GRF, we collected plasma samples from 177 unselected acromegalic patients. The samples together with those of three acromegalic patients with previously diagnosed tumors secreting GRF and of normal subjects were assayed in 3 independent GRF RIAs. Plasma immunoreactive GRF (IR-GRF) levels in normal subjects were either undetectable or detectable at levels up to 62.5 pg/ml. In none of the 177 specimens from acromegalic patients were IR-GRF values detectable in all assays, and in the most sensitive assay, the levels were similar to those in normal subjects, with the highest level measuring 82 pg/ml. In contrast, plasma IR-GRF found in the 3 patients with tumors that secreted GRF ranged from 2.0-24.4 ng/ml. These data suggest that extrahypothalamic GRF secretion is a rare cause of acromegaly. However, it is important that this rare cause of acromegaly be diagnosed before the patient has unnecessary surgery and/or irradiation directed at the pituitary. We recommend that plasma IR-GRF be measured in each new acromegalic patient.
AB - To assess the frequency with which acromegaly is caused by ectopic secretion of GRF, we collected plasma samples from 177 unselected acromegalic patients. The samples together with those of three acromegalic patients with previously diagnosed tumors secreting GRF and of normal subjects were assayed in 3 independent GRF RIAs. Plasma immunoreactive GRF (IR-GRF) levels in normal subjects were either undetectable or detectable at levels up to 62.5 pg/ml. In none of the 177 specimens from acromegalic patients were IR-GRF values detectable in all assays, and in the most sensitive assay, the levels were similar to those in normal subjects, with the highest level measuring 82 pg/ml. In contrast, plasma IR-GRF found in the 3 patients with tumors that secreted GRF ranged from 2.0-24.4 ng/ml. These data suggest that extrahypothalamic GRF secretion is a rare cause of acromegaly. However, it is important that this rare cause of acromegaly be diagnosed before the patient has unnecessary surgery and/or irradiation directed at the pituitary. We recommend that plasma IR-GRF be measured in each new acromegalic patient.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0021228284
U2 - 10.1210/jcem-59-5-846
DO - 10.1210/jcem-59-5-846
M3 - Article
C2 - 6434585
AN - SCOPUS:0021228284
SN - 0021-972X
VL - 59
SP - 846
EP - 849
JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
IS - 5
ER -