For GH testing we use either oral clonidine or IV arginine or sometimes
both (arginine first followed by clonidine). Oral clonidine is well
tolerated by children of all ages and is a very potent GH secretagogue,
better than L-DOPA in our experience.
We can still obtain LHRH from Ayerst ("HRF").
We used to use pentagastrin but it is no longer a registered drug in
Australia and it is too difficult and expensive to obtain. We use a
calcium infusion alone as a substitute but the literature indicates this is
an inferior stimulus for calcitonin. Our supplier used to obtain
pentagastrin ("Peptavlon") from ICI in the UK I think. This company may
have changed its name by now.
**************************
Bruce Campbell
Chemical Pathologist
Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology
Ph 61 7 33778672
fax 61 7 38705989
email [log in to unmask]
**************************
-----Original Message-----
From: McNeely, Michael [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Saturday, 20 November, 1999 2:41
To: 'ACB ListServe'
Subject: Availability of Drugs for Testing
Recently we have faced the discontinuance of several drugs that we use for
endocrine challenge testing. Specifically these are:
L-DOPA (Larodopa) for growth hormone stimulation screening
LHRH (Factrel)
and Pentagastrin (Pentavalon) for Calcitonin stimulation
I would appreciate any information on alternative sources.
Michael McNeely MD FRCPC
MDS Metro Laboratory Services
Vancouver & Victoria BC Canada
[log in to unmask]
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