IMMUNOREACTIVE SOMATOMEDIN B IN ACROMEGALY AND IN TURNER'S SYNDROME

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Abstract
Serum somatomedin [Sm] B was measured by radioimmunoassay in 47 normal subjects, 29 patients with acromegaly before and 24 after treatment, and 18 patients with Turner''s syndrome. SmB levels were significantly elevated in untreated acromegaly and in Turner''s syndrome compared with the control group; they decreased following treatment of acromegaly. Because of the overlap between the groups, little information could be obtained from single SmB estimations, which could not replace dynamic tests of growth hormone [GH] secretion. No correlation between GH and SmB in acromegaly was detected; SmB appeared to be related to the insulin response during the oral glucose tolerance test. In Turner''s syndrome, no relationship between SmB and insulin production, urinary estrogen excretion, GH secretion, gonadotropin levels, age or height was found. The reason for the raised SmB levels in Turner''s syndrome remains at present unknown.