Growth Hormone Deficiency Is Frequent After Recent Stroke

• Main Authors: Thomas Lillicrap, Carlos Garcia-Esperon, Frederick Rohan Walker, Lin Kooi Ong, Michael Nilsson, Neil Spratt, Christopher R. Levi, Mark Parsons, Jörgen Isgaard, Andrew Bivard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-09-01
• Series: Frontiers in Neurology
• Subjects: ischemic stroke; growth hormone; neuro recovery; rehabilitation; cognition
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2018.00713/full

Introduction: The incidence of pituitary dysfunction after severe ischemic stroke is unknown, however given the increasing attention to pituitary dysfunction after neurological injuries such as traumatic brain injury, this may represent a novel area of research in stroke.Methods: We perform an arginine and human growth hormone releasing hormone challenge on ischemic stroke patients within a week of symptom onset.Results: Over the study period, 13 patients were successfully tested within a week of stroke (baseline NIHSS 10, range 7–16). Overall, 9(69%) patients had a poor response, with 7(54%) of these patients meeting the criteria for had human growth hormone deficiency. Other measures of pituitary function were within normal ranges.Conclusion: After major ischemic stroke, low GH levels are common and may play a role in stroke recovery.