It has been studied integrated nocturnal secretion of GH after GHRH test in 15 diabetic children and 10 short stature children with normal GH secretion. The most important findings are: 1) The integrated nocturnal secretion of GH was significantly higher in diabetics than in controls (6.27 +/- 3.11 ngrs/ml/min versus 3.06 +/- 1.41 ngrs/ml/min P [symbol; see text] 0.01). 2) After an acute stimulous with GHRH, diabetic population shows an exaggerated secretion of G. H. during the first 90 minutes compared with control population (33.20 +/- 12.41 ngrs/ml/min versus 18.18 +/- 11.09 P [symbol; see text] 0.01). 3) Both higher spontaneous secretion of G. H., and after GHRH test, are independent of metabolic control (mean nocturnal glycemies and HBA1) and evolution time of disease.