GH release after GHRH plus arginine administration in obese and overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Few and unclear data are available in the literature about the relationship between impairment of GH/IGF-I axis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study was aimed to evaluate the basal GH and IGF- levels, and GH release after challenge test in obese and overweight women with PCOS. Thirty patients with PCOS and other 30 healthy women matched for age, body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were studied. Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), LH, PRL, E2, P, 17OH-progesterone (17OH-P), total T, delta4, DHEA-S, SHBG, GH and IGF-I levels were evaluated in each subject. A GHRH plus arginine challenge test was performed in all subjects. After provocative test, in PCOS and control women the GH levels were significantly (p<0.05) higher in comparison to basal values from 30 min to 120 min. At the same times, a significant (p<0.05) difference was observed between women with PCOS in comparison to healthy women. The mean peak value of GH resulted significantly (p<0.05) lower in PCOS women in comparison to healthy women. The total GH response (area under curve, AUC) to GHRH plus arginine test resulted significantly (p<0.05) lower in PCOS than in healthy women. These findings were statistically significant (p<0.05) also considering the distinction in obese and overweight women. The AUC for GH secretion was significantly lower (p<0.05) in obese in comparison to overweight subjects in the control group, whereas no significant difference was detected between obese and overweight women in the PCOS group. In conclusion, in PCOS women there is a BMI-independent alteration of the GH levels. Further investigations will be necessary to establish the real cause of these data.