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Hormone therapy improves cardiac structure in growth hormone deficiency
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Children with previously untreated growth hormone deficiency who received growth hormone therapy for 1 year experienced improvements in cardiac structure, body composition and cardiopulmonary functional capacity, study data show.
Mariacarolina Salerno, MD, PhD, of the department of medical translational sciences, pediatric endocrinology section at Federico II University in Naples, Italy, and colleagues evaluated 21 children (mean age, 11.3 years) with untreated isolated GH deficiency assigned to 12 months of GH therapy, as well as 21 controls matched for sex, pubertal status, BMI and physical activity level. Researchers sought to determine the effect of GH deficiency and GH therapy on cardiopulmonary functional capacity, left and right cardiac structure and function, and body composition.
Participants underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing, echocardiography and DXA at baseline and 1 year later.
At baseline and 1 year, BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference and waist-to-hip ratio were similar between the two groups. The GH therapy group had higher waist-to-height ratio compared with controls at baseline (P = .013); however, the ratio significantly decreased after therapy and became similar to controls.
The GH group had lower lean body mass (P = .006) and lean body mass percent (P < .0001) and higher fat mass (P = .014) and fat mass percent (P = .001) at baseline compared with controls. After therapy, participants experienced a significant increase in lean body mass (P < .0001) and lean body mass percent (P = .0001) and a significant decrease in fat mass percent (P = .001) compared with baseline.
Physical activity levels were comparable between the two groups when the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used for assessment.
Left ventricular (LV) end diastolic diameter (P = .001), LV end systolic diameter (P < .05), interventricular septal thickness (P = .006) and LV posterior wall thickness (P = .01) were lower in the GH group compared with controls at baseline resulting in reduced LV mass (P = .006). After therapy, the GH group had improved LV end systolic diameter (P < .05), interventricular septal thickness (P = .006), LV posterior wall thickness (P = .01) and LV mass (P = .03) similar to measures for the control group.
The GH group had lower values for peak oxygen consumption, peak oxygen consumption percent, peak workload and oxygen pulse compared with controls at baseline. After therapy, difference in peak oxygen consumption (P = .04), peak oxygen consumption percent (P = .01) and oxygen pulse (P = .001) remained significant; however, peak workload became comparable between the two groups.
, such as reduced CV risk and improved bone mineral density and psychological well-being,” the researchers wrote. – by Amber Cox
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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