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Study · Non-randomized trial · n = 19 · 1999

7 results

Hexarelin as a test of pituitary reserve in patients with pituitary disease.

Korbonits M, Kaltsas G, Perry LA, Grossman AB, Monson JP, Besser GM, Trainer PJ

Clinical endocrinology1 Sept 1999Cited by 14 (Europe PMC)

PMID10469018 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1046/j.1365-2265.1999.00828.x (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-10469018
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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 study7

7 results from studies that gave the peptide. 7 results from people.

  1. 01HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In patients with possible pituitary disease, peak GH after hexarelin was higher than after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia.

    In plain wordsIn people with possible pituitary disease, hexarelin raised growth hormone higher than the insulin-induced low blood sugar test did.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    IncreasePeak GH after hexarelin versus insulin-induced hypoglycaemia
    Study

    n = 19

    Comparator
    Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia
    Outcome group
    Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    2 microg/kgAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Peak GH after hexarelin
    67.1 mU/l
    pituitary disease patients
    Peak GH after hypoglycaemia
    26.9 mU/l
    pituitary disease patients

    Source sentences

    Summary
    GH peak levels were significantly higher after hexarelin than after hypoglycaemia (mean +/- SEM; 67.1 +/- 16 vs. 26.9 +/- 6.8 mU/l respectively; P < 0. 001), while cortisol levels were significantly lower (420 +/- 34 vs. 605 +/- 50 nmol/l; P < 0.001).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The changes in GH and cortisol in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (intravenous human Actrapid 0.15 IU/kg) and hexarelin (2 microg/kg) in 19 patients with possible pituitary disease (5 males, mean age 39 years, range 21-70) were compared.
  2. 02HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In patients with possible pituitary disease, peak cortisol after hexarelin was lower than after insulin-induced hypoglycaemia.

    In plain wordsIn people with possible pituitary disease, hexarelin raised cortisol less than the insulin-induced low blood sugar test did.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    DecreasePeak cortisol after hexarelin versus insulin-induced hypoglycaemia
    Study

    n = 19

    Comparator
    Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia
    Outcome group
    Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    2 microg/kgAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Peak cortisol after hexarelin
    420 nmol/l
    pituitary disease patients
    Peak cortisol after hypoglycaemia
    605 nmol/l
    pituitary disease patients

    Source sentences

    Summary
    GH peak levels were significantly higher after hexarelin than after hypoglycaemia (mean +/- SEM; 67.1 +/- 16 vs. 26.9 +/- 6.8 mU/l respectively; P < 0. 001), while cortisol levels were significantly lower (420 +/- 34 vs. 605 +/- 50 nmol/l; P < 0.001).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The changes in GH and cortisol in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (intravenous human Actrapid 0.15 IU/kg) and hexarelin (2 microg/kg) in 19 patients with possible pituitary disease (5 males, mean age 39 years, range 21-70) were compared.
  3. 03HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In patients with possible pituitary disease, peak hormone responses correlated significantly between the hexarelin and insulin-induced hypoglycaemia tests (r = 0.80 for cortisol).

    In plain wordsIn people with possible pituitary disease, hormone responses to hexarelin were linked to responses in the insulin-induced low blood sugar test.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Not applicableCorrelation of peak hormone responses between hexarelin and hypoglycaemia tests
    Study

    n = 19

    Comparator
    Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia
    Outcome group
    Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    2 microg/kgAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Correlation r (cortisol)
    0.8
    hexarelin vs ITT

    Source sentences

    Summary
    The peak responses of both hormones correlated significantly between the hexarelin and insulin-induced hypoglycaemia tests (r = 0.80, P < 0.001 for cortisol).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The changes in GH and cortisol in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (intravenous human Actrapid 0.15 IU/kg) and hexarelin (2 microg/kg) in 19 patients with possible pituitary disease (5 males, mean age 39 years, range 21-70) were compared.
  4. 04HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In patients with possible pituitary disease, peak GH after hexarelin and after the insulin tolerance test correlated positively with IGF-I levels.

    In plain wordsIn people with possible pituitary disease, growth hormone peaks after hexarelin were linked to IGF-I levels.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Not applicableCorrelation of peak GH with IGF-I
    Study

    n = 19

    Outcome group
    Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    2 microg/kgAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Correlation r (hexarelin)
    0.84
    peak GH vs IGF-I
    Correlation r (ITT)
    0.77
    peak GH vs IGF-I

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Peak GH levels after hexarelin and ITT showed a significant positive correlation with IGF-I levels (r = 0.84 and r = 0.77, P < 0.001 for both).
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The changes in GH and cortisol in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (intravenous human Actrapid 0.15 IU/kg) and hexarelin (2 microg/kg) in 19 patients with possible pituitary disease (5 males, mean age 39 years, range 21-70) were compared.
  5. 05HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In patients with possible pituitary disease, all patients with a subnormal GH response to hexarelin (<41.4 mU/l) had a peak GH response to the insulin tolerance test below 9 mU/l.

    In plain wordsIn people with possible pituitary disease, everyone with a low growth hormone response to hexarelin also had a low response to the insulin tolerance test.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Not applicableSubnormal GH response to hexarelin and response to ITT
    Study

    n = 19

    Comparator
    Insulin tolerance test
    Outcome group
    Growth hormone and IGF-1 · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    2 microg/kgAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Hexarelin GH cut-off
    < 41.4 mU/l
    subnormal response
    Peak GH response to ITT
    < 9 mU/l
    patients with subnormal hexarelin response

    Source sentences

    Summary
    All patients with a subnormal GH response to hexarelin (<41.4 mU/l) had a peak GH response to ITT of <9 mU/l, and only one patient had a normal (although borderline) response to hexarelin with a subnormal GH response to the ITT.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The changes in GH and cortisol in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (intravenous human Actrapid 0.15 IU/kg) and hexarelin (2 microg/kg) in 19 patients with possible pituitary disease (5 males, mean age 39 years, range 21-70) were compared.
  6. 06HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    In patients with possible pituitary disease, 17 of 19 had matching cortisol responses to hexarelin and the insulin tolerance test, and two had normal responses to hexarelin but subnormal responses to the test.

    In plain wordsIn people with possible pituitary disease, 17 of 19 had matching cortisol results on hexarelin and the insulin tolerance test.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Not applicableConcordance of cortisol responses to hexarelin and ITT
    Study

    n = 19

    Comparator
    Insulin tolerance test
    Outcome group
    Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    2 microg/kgAs given in this study (human).

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Although 17 of the 19 patients had corresponding cortisol responses to hexarelin and the ITT test (either failing or passing both), two patients had normal cortisol responses to hexarelin but subnormal responses to the ITT.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The changes in GH and cortisol in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (intravenous human Actrapid 0.15 IU/kg) and hexarelin (2 microg/kg) in 19 patients with possible pituitary disease (5 males, mean age 39 years, range 21-70) were compared.
  7. 07HumanNon-randomized trialActivity measurement

    Only five normal volunteers and one of thirteen patients with a normal ACTH/cortisol reserve on the insulin tolerance test had a peak cortisol above 580 nmol/l after hexarelin.

    In plain wordsFew people with normal cortisol reserve reached the cortisol level of 580 nmol/l after hexarelin.

    Peptide
    Hexarelin
    Outcome
    Not applicablePeak cortisol above 580 nmol/l after hexarelin
    Study

    n: not reported in source

    Comparator
    Insulin tolerance test
    Outcome group
    Stress hormones · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    2 microg/kgAs given in this study (human).

    Measurements

    Cortisol threshold
    > 580 nmol/l
    after hexarelin

    Source sentences

    Summary
    only five of the normal volunteers and one of the thirteen patients with a normal ACTH/cortisol reserve on ITT had a peak cortisol >580 nmol/l in response to hexarelin.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The changes in GH and cortisol in response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (intravenous human Actrapid 0.15 IU/kg) and hexarelin (2 microg/kg) in 19 patients with possible pituitary disease (5 males, mean age 39 years, range 21-70) were compared.

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.

  1. Version 2Current

    13 Oct 2026, 21:44 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    13 Oct 2026, 16:31 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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