The somatotropic axis in critical illness: effect of continuous growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone and GH-releasing peptide-2 infusion.

Van den Berghe G, de Zegher F, Veldhuis JD, Wouters P, Awouters M, Verbruggen W, Schetz M, Verwaest C, Lauwers P, Bouillon R, Bowers CY

The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism1 Feb 1997Cited by 89 (Europe PMC)

PMID9024260DOI10.1210/jcem.82.2.3736PepBankPUB-09024260

Publisher page PubMedAsk about this study

Jump to 8 results

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study8

4 results from studies that gave the peptide. 4 results from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, continuous GHRP‑2 infusion raised mean GH concentration 4- to 6-fold compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, a night-long GHRP‑2 infusion raised mean growth hormone 4 to 6 times compared with placebo.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
IncreaseMean GH concentration with GHRP-2
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
1 microgram/kg bolus then 1 microgram/kg/h · infusion · 21 hAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
GHRP-2 provoked a 4- to 6-fold increase in the mean GH concentration (P < 0.0001)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
Report a problemFND-0902426001
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, continuous GHRP‑2 infusion increased GH secretory burst amplitude compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, GHRP‑2 infusion made growth hormone bursts larger than with placebo.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
IncreaseGH secretory burst amplitude with GHRP-2
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
1 microgram/kg bolus then 1 microgram/kg/h · infusion · 21 hAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
GHRP-2 provoked a 4- to 6-fold increase in the mean GH concentration (P < 0.0001), the GH secretory burst amplitude (P = 0.002), and basal GH secretion (P = 0.0007), which were associated with a 61 +/- 13% increase in serum IGF-I within 24 h (P = 0.02).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
Report a problemFND-0902426002
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, continuous GHRP‑2 infusion increased basal GH secretion compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, GHRP‑2 infusion raised the steady baseline release of growth hormone compared with placebo.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
IncreaseBasal GH secretion with GHRP-2
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
1 microgram/kg bolus then 1 microgram/kg/h · infusion · 21 hAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
GHRP-2 provoked a 4- to 6-fold increase in the mean GH concentration (P < 0.0001), the GH secretory burst amplitude (P = 0.002), and basal GH secretion (P = 0.0007), which were associated with a 61 +/- 13% increase in serum IGF-I within 24 h (P = 0.02).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
Report a problemFND-0902426003
04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, continuous GHRP‑2 infusion was associated with a 61% increase in serum IGF-I within 24 h.
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, GHRP‑2 infusion was linked to a 61% rise in IGF-I in the blood within 24 hours.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
IncreaseSerum IGF-I with GHRP-2
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Studied dose
1 microgram/kg bolus then 1 microgram/kg/h · infusion · 21 hAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
serum IGF-I increase
61%
GHRP-2, within 24 h
Source sentences
Summary
which were associated with a 61 +/- 13% increase in serum IGF-I within 24 h (P = 0.02).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
Report a problemFND-0902426004

Studies that did not test the peptide alone4

In this study, GHRP-2 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking GHRP-2.

05HumanNot a test of GHRP-2 aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, GHRH plus GHRP‑2 raised mean GH concentration a further 2-fold compared with GHRP‑2 alone.
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, GHRH and GHRP‑2 together raised growth hormone about 2 times more than GHRP‑2 alone.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
IncreaseMean GH concentration with GHRH plus GHRP-2 versus GHRP-2 alone
Study
n = 6
Comparator
GHRP-2 alone
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Compared to GHRP-2 alone, GHRH plus GHRP-2 elicited a further 2-fold increase in the mean GH concentration (P = 0.04)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
In this study, GHRP-2 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking GHRP-2.
Report a problemFND-0902426005
06HumanNot a test of GHRP-2 aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, GHRH plus GHRP‑2 raised basal GH secretion a further 2-fold compared with GHRP‑2 alone.
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, GHRH and GHRP‑2 together raised baseline growth hormone release about 2 times more than GHRP‑2 alone.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
IncreaseBasal GH secretion with GHRH plus GHRP-2 versus GHRP-2 alone
Study
n = 6
Comparator
GHRP-2 alone
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
Compared to GHRP-2 alone, GHRH plus GHRP-2 elicited a further 2-fold increase in the mean GH concentration (P = 0.04) and GH basal secretion (P = 0.02)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
In this study, GHRP-2 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking GHRP-2.
Report a problemFND-0902426006
07HumanNot a test of GHRP-2 aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, GHRH plus GHRP‑2 gave an additional 40% rise in serum IGF-I compared with GHRP‑2 alone.
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, GHRH and GHRP‑2 together raised IGF-I in the blood about 40% more than GHRP‑2 alone.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
IncreaseSerum IGF-I with GHRH plus GHRP-2 versus GHRP-2 alone
Study
n = 6
Comparator
GHRP-2 alone
Outcome group
Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
Measurements
additional serum IGF-I rise
40%
GHRH + GHRP-2 vs GHRP-2 alone
Source sentences
Summary
Compared to GHRP-2 alone, GHRH plus GHRP-2 elicited a further 2-fold increase in the mean GH concentration (P = 0.04) and GH basal secretion (P = 0.02), and an additional 40 +/- 6% rise in serum IGF-I (P = 0.04).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
In this study, GHRP-2 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking GHRP-2.
Report a problemFND-0902426007
08HumanNot a test of GHRP-2 aloneRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In critically ill adults, GHRP‑2 infusion, alone or combined with GHRH, did not alter elevated serum cortisol (pooled across regimens).
In plain wordsIn critically ill adults, infusion of GHRP‑2 alone or with GHRH did not change the high cortisol levels in the blood.
Peptide
GHRP-2
Outcome
No significant changeSerum cortisol
Study
n: not reported in source
Outcome group
Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
Source sentences
Summary
GHRH and GHRP-2 infusion did not alter elevated cortisol levels.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
GHRP-2 alone or combined with GHRH elicited a robust rise in circulating IGF-I levels within 24 h without altering serum cortisol levels.
Summary · context
Twenty-six critically ill adults (mean age +/- SEM, 63 +/- 2 yr) were studied during 2 consecutive nights (2100-0600 h).
In this study, GHRP-2 was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking GHRP-2.
Report a problemFND-0902426008

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
13 Oct 2026, 21:44 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
13 Oct 2026, 16:31 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

PepBank is a research reference. Talk to a doctor before you use any peptide.