The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test

Introduction: The gold standard for diagnosing growth hormone deficiency is insulin tolerance test. However, this is contraindicated in patients at risk of seizure attacks. GHRH-arginine test is not widely available. The other tests have their own limitations. Oral Bovril contains arginine and ca...

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Main Authors: Loh, Huai Heng, S , Norlela, Abd Wahab, Norasyikin, M, Norlaila, O, Mohd Rahman, R, Subashini, Shahar, Mohammad Arif, Omar, Ahmad Marzuki, WS, Wan Juani, M., Azura Dina, Ooi, CP, S, Muhammad, A, Mohan, MT, Alif Adlan, Kamaruddin, Nor Azmi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Malaysian Endocrine & Metabolic Society 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/6/PP-040.pdf
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spelling iium-481822018-06-12T03:03:05Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/ The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test Loh, Huai Heng S , Norlela Abd Wahab, Norasyikin M, Norlaila O, Mohd Rahman R, Subashini Shahar, Mohammad Arif Omar, Ahmad Marzuki WS, Wan Juani M., Azura Dina Ooi, CP S, Muhammad A, Mohan MT, Alif Adlan Kamaruddin, Nor Azmi RC Internal medicine Introduction: The gold standard for diagnosing growth hormone deficiency is insulin tolerance test. However, this is contraindicated in patients at risk of seizure attacks. GHRH-arginine test is not widely available. The other tests have their own limitations. Oral Bovril contains arginine and can be used as a substitute when all others are not available. Case: A 16-year old boy with underlying mitochondrial disease, complicated with myoclonus and secondary hypogonadism, presented with short stature. Oral Bovril test was performed to rule out growth hormone deficiency as other tests were not available. Materials and Methods: Oral Bovril, given as 14g/m2 body surface area, was used in this patient (subject A) after an overnight fast. The test was also performed on a healthy sex-matched adult (subject B) and a sex and age-matched patient with confirmed growth hormone deficiency (subject C). Serial blood tests were taken at baseline and half hourly for 2.5 hours. Results: Subject A attained peak growth hormone of 28.4mIU/L which was consistent with a normal response, hence ruling out growth hormone deficiency. Subject B attained peak growth hormone of 42.0mIU/L. Subject C has suppressed growth hormone throughout the test, consistent with previous insulin tolerance test. Conclusion: Oral Bovril test is an option when all other growth hormone stimulation tests cannot be performed. It is cheap, readily available, has no side effects, does not require intravenous infusion, and has fairly good performance. Malaysian Endocrine & Metabolic Society 2014-05 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/6/PP-040.pdf Loh, Huai Heng and S , Norlela and Abd Wahab, Norasyikin and M, Norlaila and O, Mohd Rahman and R, Subashini and Shahar, Mohammad Arif and Omar, Ahmad Marzuki and WS, Wan Juani and M., Azura Dina and Ooi, CP and S, Muhammad and A, Mohan and MT, Alif Adlan and Kamaruddin, Nor Azmi (2014) The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test. Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 4 (1(Sup)). p. 28. ISSN 2229-9572 http://www.jmems.org/index.php/jmems/issue/view/5
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
topic RC Internal medicine
spellingShingle RC Internal medicine
Loh, Huai Heng
S , Norlela
Abd Wahab, Norasyikin
M, Norlaila
O, Mohd Rahman
R, Subashini
Shahar, Mohammad Arif
Omar, Ahmad Marzuki
WS, Wan Juani
M., Azura Dina
Ooi, CP
S, Muhammad
A, Mohan
MT, Alif Adlan
Kamaruddin, Nor Azmi
The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test
description Introduction: The gold standard for diagnosing growth hormone deficiency is insulin tolerance test. However, this is contraindicated in patients at risk of seizure attacks. GHRH-arginine test is not widely available. The other tests have their own limitations. Oral Bovril contains arginine and can be used as a substitute when all others are not available. Case: A 16-year old boy with underlying mitochondrial disease, complicated with myoclonus and secondary hypogonadism, presented with short stature. Oral Bovril test was performed to rule out growth hormone deficiency as other tests were not available. Materials and Methods: Oral Bovril, given as 14g/m2 body surface area, was used in this patient (subject A) after an overnight fast. The test was also performed on a healthy sex-matched adult (subject B) and a sex and age-matched patient with confirmed growth hormone deficiency (subject C). Serial blood tests were taken at baseline and half hourly for 2.5 hours. Results: Subject A attained peak growth hormone of 28.4mIU/L which was consistent with a normal response, hence ruling out growth hormone deficiency. Subject B attained peak growth hormone of 42.0mIU/L. Subject C has suppressed growth hormone throughout the test, consistent with previous insulin tolerance test. Conclusion: Oral Bovril test is an option when all other growth hormone stimulation tests cannot be performed. It is cheap, readily available, has no side effects, does not require intravenous infusion, and has fairly good performance.
format Article
author Loh, Huai Heng
S , Norlela
Abd Wahab, Norasyikin
M, Norlaila
O, Mohd Rahman
R, Subashini
Shahar, Mohammad Arif
Omar, Ahmad Marzuki
WS, Wan Juani
M., Azura Dina
Ooi, CP
S, Muhammad
A, Mohan
MT, Alif Adlan
Kamaruddin, Nor Azmi
author_facet Loh, Huai Heng
S , Norlela
Abd Wahab, Norasyikin
M, Norlaila
O, Mohd Rahman
R, Subashini
Shahar, Mohammad Arif
Omar, Ahmad Marzuki
WS, Wan Juani
M., Azura Dina
Ooi, CP
S, Muhammad
A, Mohan
MT, Alif Adlan
Kamaruddin, Nor Azmi
author_sort Loh, Huai Heng
title The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test
title_short The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test
title_full The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test
title_fullStr The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test
title_full_unstemmed The use of Oral Bovril as growth hormone stimulation test
title_sort use of oral bovril as growth hormone stimulation test
publisher Malaysian Endocrine & Metabolic Society
publishDate 2014
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/48182/6/PP-040.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T21:08:24Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T21:08:24Z
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