Changes in serum somatomedin and growth hormone concentrations after 3 weeks oestrogen substitution in post-menopausal women; a pilot study

Abstract

Abstract. Oestrogens have a preventive effect on bone loss in post-menopausal women; however, little is known about their mechanism of action. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in somatomedins (SM) and growth hormone (GH) concentrations in serum in postmenopausal women after 3 weeks of substitution with 20 μg ethinyloestradiol. A significant decrease was observed in the mean serum levels of SM. measured by bioassay (0.66 ± 0.07 vs 0.38 ± 0.07. P < 0.01), radioimmunoassay (0.62 ± 0.08 vs 0.34 ± 0.03, P < 0.01) and radioreceptorassav (1.14 ± 0.11 vs 0.90 ± 0.09, P < 0.01). The mean serum GH concentration increased (9.4 ± 3.2 vs 16.5 ± 4.6, P < 0.01). A positive role of SM and GH in the changes of bone metabolism after oestrogen substitution in post-menopausal women is discussed.