Metabolic effects of stopping growth hormone: body composition and energy expenditure

Discontinuation of growth hormone (GH) treatment at the end of childhood growth in individuals with GH deficiency has been shown to be associated with markedly increasing fat mass and decreasing metabolic rate. The association of these findings with increased abdominal fat and adverse changes in lipid biochemistry suggests that without longer-term GH therapy into adult life, these individuals will be at increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the evidence that these adverse events do not arise in those shown to be GH sufficient on retesting emphasizes the principle that all individuals who received GH therapy for childhood-onset GH deficiency require careful re-evaluation of their GH secretion when growth is completed.