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Short-term pharmacologically induced growth study of ontogenetic allometry of oxygen uptake in children
Govindasamy Balasekaran1, Robert J Robertson, Fredric L Goss
1Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. bala@hgen.pitt.edu
Insights
Growth hormone therapy significantly altered the allometric coefficients for maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in short stature children. This suggests that changes in fat-free mass and linear growth influence VO2max during development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Exercise Physiology
- Growth Hormone Therapy
Background:
- Allometric coefficients for maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) relative to body mass in children show variability.
- This variability can be pronounced in pediatric cohorts undergoing interventions for growth abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the allometric coefficients for VO2max following short-term, pharmacologically induced growth in pre- and early pubescent children.
- To investigate the impact of growth hormone (GH) therapy on VO2max and related physiological parameters.
Main Methods:
- A treatment group of ten children (nine with non-GH-deficient short stature, one with GH-deficient short stature) received 4 months of subcutaneous GH therapy.
- A control group of ten age-, height-, weight-, VO2max-, and BMI-matched children received no treatment.
- Evaluations included measurements of VO2max, body mass, fat-free mass (FFM), and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I).
Main Results:
- The mean ontogenetic coefficient for VO2max relative to body mass was significantly higher in the GH-treated group (1.50) compared to the control group (0.77).
- GH therapy led to significant increases in height, weight, FFM, VO2max indexed to body mass and FFM, and IGF-I.
- No significant changes were observed in the control group for any tested variables.
Conclusions:
- The relationship between oxygen uptake (VO2) and body mass is influenced by GH treatment in children.
- Increases in VO2max associated with physical growth in pre- and early pubescent individuals may be linked to gains in FFM and linear dimensions.
- GH therapy can modulate these scaling relationships in children with short stature.
Background:
A range of allometric coefficients have been proposed in describing the maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max): body mass relation in children using weight-bearing ergometry. However, a wide deviation in the allometric coefficients for VO2max may be apparent when selected pediatric cohorts are studied in conjunction with clinical intervention for growth abnormalities.
Aim:
The purpose of this study was to determine the allometric coefficients for VO2max after short-term pharmacologically induced growth in pre- and early pubescent children.
Subjects And Methods:
The treatment group consisted of nine subjects with non-growth hormone (GH)-deficient short stature and one with GH-deficient short stature (mean age: 13.7+/-1.7 years). Ten pre- and early pubescent children matched for age, height, weight, VO2max and body mass index (BMI) were controls. The treatment group were evaluated before (Pre-GH) and after (Post-GH) 4 months of subcutaneous GH therapy (0.05 mgkg(-1)day(-1) x 6 days week(-1)).
Results:
The mean ontogenetic coefficient for the treatment group was 1.50+/-0.20 and for the control group was 0.77+/-0.34. The mean allometric coefficient for body mass relative to VO2max was significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (p<0.05). Height, weight, fat free mass (FFM), VO2max indexed to body mass (mLkg(-1)min(-1)) and FFM (mLkgFFM(-1)min(-1)) increased (p<0.05) with GH therapy. GH therapy also increased insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and served as a biochemical marker of GH therapy (p<0.05). The control group had no significant differences in all the variables tested (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
The scaling for oxygen uptake (VO2) for body mass varies with GH treatment and the increase in VO2max that commonly occurs in conjunction with physical growth in the pre-and early pubescent individual may be linked to an increase in FFM and linear size.
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