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Cardiovascular risk factors improve during 3 years of growth hormone therapy in Prader-Willi syndrome

D l'Allemand1, U Eiholzer, M Schlumpf

  • 1Foundation Growth Puberty Adolescence, Zurich, Switzerland.

European Journal of Pediatrics
|November 18, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) children show early cardiovascular risks like obesity and abnormal lipids. Growth hormone therapy improves body composition and lipid profiles in these patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, potentially linked to obesity or growth hormone (GH) deficiency.
  • Understanding these risk factors' patterns and interrelations in children with PWS is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cardiovascular risk factors in children with PWS.
  • To assess the age-dependency and interrelations of these factors.
  • To evaluate the long-term effects of GH therapy on cardiovascular risk markers.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of 23 children with PWS (aged 0.3-14.6 years).
  • Assessed body composition (fat mass, waist-to-hip ratio), lipid profiles (TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, Lp(a)), and apolipoproteins (Apo A-I, Apo B).
  • Monitored effects of GH therapy (0.037 mg/kg/day for ~3 years).

Main Results:

  • Children over 4 years exhibited increased body fat and abnormal waist-to-hip ratio.
  • Abnormalities in LDL-C, Apo B, HDL-C, and TG were noted in several participants.
  • GH therapy normalized body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, and improved LDL-C/HDL-C ratio by decreasing LDL-C and increasing HDL-C.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiovascular risk factors are prevalent in prepubertal children with PWS.
  • Growth hormone treatment positively impacts both body composition and lipid metabolism in PWS patients.
  • GH therapy offers a therapeutic strategy for mitigating cardiovascular risks in PWS.
Abstract

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