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Biomedical subjects

R Vigo

Publications and source records attributed to R Vigo.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Thyroid-pituitary function in eight anencephalic infants.

The function of the thyroid pituitary axis was investigated in 8 anencephalic infants with no hypothalamus. Thyrotrophin (TSH), thyroxine (T4), 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and 3,3',5'-triiodothyrone (reverse T3 and rT3) were measured in the cord blood in 5 cases and during the first 4 h of life in 3 cases. TSH response to synthetic thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) (200 microgram iv) was carried out in two cases and thyroid hormone response to bovine TSH (5 IU iv) was evaluated in 3 cases. The following results wre obtained: 1) The pituitary gland was found in all infants and the thyroid was normal both grossly and by microscopic sections. 2) TSH levels at birth were normal but there was no spontaneous post-delivery surge. 3) T4 and T3 values at delivery were within normal range, but no T3 increase was present after birth. rT3 levels at birth were higher than normal in 3 cases. 4) Administration of TRH caused a marked and rapid TSH release. 5) Thyroid hormone response to TSH was normal. The present findings suggest that in the anencephalic foetus both pituitary TSH-secreting cells and the thyroid gland do develop despite the absence of the hypothalamus and are able to function if adequately stimulated.

Anencephaly

Effect of priming of amino acids on insulin and growth hormone response in the premature infant.

Glucose, alpha-amino nitrogen, serum insulin, and HGH were studied in preterm infants during the first 24 hours of life. Glucose infusion (1.25 gm.) resulted in a slight elevation of serum insulin. When this amount of glucose was infused during the last 30 minutes of a two-and-a-half-hour infusion of a mixture of essential amino acids, there was a rapid and striking increase in serum insulin. However, this increase was not associated with a faster glucose disposal rate. The administration of this mixture of amino acids doubled the basal level of alpha-amino nitrogen, and during the first two hours, before glucose infusion, it caused a significant rise of serum insulin and HGH. In both cases glucose caused an increase of HGH secretion that was not significantly different in the two groups of infants.

Amino Acids

Insulin and growth hormone secretion in a leukaemic girl with hypothalamic syndrome.

The authors report a girl with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia presenting hypothalamic syndrome characterized by meningeal leukaemia, hyperphagia and obesity. Insulin and growth hormone secretion, studied with arginine and insulin stimulation tests, showed a high peak of serum insulin and no response of growth hormone. Insulin and growth hormone responses to these tests reverted to normal after intrathecal methotrexate.

Arginine

Effect of glucose priming on insulin response in the premature infant.

Our paper deals with premature infants in the first twenty-four hours of life and reports the effect of a preinfusion of glucose on glucose administration. Glucose infusion (2.5 gm.) resulted in a slight elevation of serum insulin. When this administration of glucose was preceded by a two-hour infusion of glucose, there was a striking increase in serum insulin.

Glucose