The intra-individual stability of growth hormone (GH) biomarkers IGF-I, P-III-NP, calculated GH-2000 score in relation to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) (Somatorelin) administration, menstrual cycle, and hematological parameters were investigated in four men and eight women, respectively. Moreover, the hematological parameters hemoglobin (Hb) and percentage of reticulocyte (RET%) were statistically analyzed in relation to the GH biomarker parameters for the GHRH administration study and the menstrual cycle study. Longitudinal monitoring of IGF-I and/or GH-2000 score proved to be a viable approach to detect the GHRH intake in men, as all four participants show values above individually calculated thresholds (calculated as mean ± 3SD from three baseline samples). The intra-individual variation for IGF-I, P-III-NP, and calculated GH-2000 score in women, over two consecutive menstrual cycles, was investigated and established to be higher (coefficients variations [CVs] between 12% and 186%) than in men (CVs between 3% and 12%). The GHRH administration did not influence the hematological parameters. A strong positive correlation between Hb and IGF-I (Rs = 0.73, p < 0.0001) and a borderline weak correlation between RET% and IGF-I (Rs = 0.28, p = 0.054) were noticed in the women. No correlation for the P-III-NP and the hematological parameters was seen for the females in the menstrual cycle study. The results fortify previous studies that longitudinal monitoring of IGF-I and/or GH-2000 score may be a promising method to detect doping with GH and GH stimulating agents in men, whereas the large intra-individual variation noted in women indicates that longitudinal monitoring of these biomarker may be harder to evaluate in women.
Keywords: GHRH; athlete biological passport; doping; hGH biomarkers; menstrual cycle.
© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.