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The integrated concentration of growth hormone (ICGH) was studied in 17 normal preadolescent and adolescent boys and 16 normal adult males. The ICGH was determined over a 16–24 hour period under normal ambulatory conditions without the use of exogenous stimuli. The mean ± SD ICGH of 5.6 ± 3.6 ng/ml for the boys is significantly higher than the mean of 1.8 ± 1.0 for adult males. There is not an increase in ICGH associated with increase in bone age, progression of puberty, or increase in plasma testosterone. ICGH is markedly elevated in some boys prior to onset of puberty or elevation of plasma testosterone. This is in contrast to earlier reports that both exogenous and endogenous androgens may stimulate the growth hormone response to arginine and/or insulininduced hypoglycemia.
Thompson et al. (Tue,) studied this question.