Serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels in breast cancer

Plasma growth hormone (GH) and blood glucose were measured before and after intramuscular injection of glucagon (0.03 mg/kg) in 38 children. There were 11 normal children, 24 with familial growth retardation and three with hypopituitarism. There were no differences in GH levels between normal children and those with familial growth retardation either before or after glucagon stimulation. The hypopituitary children showed almost no response in GH, maximum increase in GH appearing only after 120 min and in several cases only after 180 min. In only seven patients were there minor side-effects (headache and vomiting). Two children did not respond to glucagon but their GH levels increased after insulin stimulation. In our opinion, intramuscular glucagon administration is a reliable test for estimating pituitary GH reserve in children.