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Polygraphic sleep patterns and growth hormone secretion in children after cranial irradiation

  • Neuropediatrics
  • Published:
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Abstract

The effects of radiotherapy on subsequent growth hormone (GH) secretion and sleep organization was studied by simultaneous evaluation of spontaneous sleep-related GH secretion (SSRGHS), arginine-insulin tolerance test (AITT) and polygraphic sleep recording in a follow up of 19 children who underwent surgical removal of an intracranial tumour and cranial radiotherapy 1–7 years previously. Electrophysiological patterns of sleep phases, the amount and distribution of sleep stages were normal, suggesting that the procedure utilized should not entail modifications of SSRGHS per se. Long-term after radiotherapy SSRGHS and AITT GH responses were lower than those of the medium-term group. The lack of correlation between SSRGHS and AITT GH secretion suggests that SSRGHS and AITT measure different aspects of GH secretion. The highest value of GH plasma level (peak) corresponded to slow wave sleep, mainly during the first non-rapid eye movement-rapid eye movement (NREM-REM) cycle, in practically all the patients. Although the SSRGHS synchronization with SWS of the first NREM-REM cycle was preserved, no sleep measure was correlated with the SSRGHS. The usefulness of polygraphic monitoring of sleep patterns was confirmed.

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Abbreviations

AITT:

arginine-insulin tolerance test

GH:

growth hormone

NREM:

non-rapid eye movement

REM:

rapid eye movement

SSRGHS:

spontaneous sleep-related GH secretion

SWS:

slow wave sleep

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSERM U3, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Paris, France

    I. Fagioli

  2. Unité d'Endocrinologie Pédiatrique, Hôpital des Enfants Malades, Paris, France

    R. Brauner & R. Rappaport

Authors
  1. I. Fagioli
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  2. R. Brauner
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  3. R. Rappaport
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Fagioli, I., Brauner, R. & Rappaport, R. Polygraphic sleep patterns and growth hormone secretion in children after cranial irradiation. Eur J Pediatr 150, 200–204 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01963567

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01963567

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