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Decrease in adiponectin levels correlates to growth response in growth hormone-treated children

B Andersson1, L M S Carlsson, B Carlsson

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Goteborg Pediatric Growth Research Center, The Institute of Clinical Sciences, Göteborg, Sweden.

Hormone Research
|March 5, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Growth hormone (GH) treatment in children lowers adiponectin levels, a hormone linked to obesity. This decrease in adiponectin correlates with improved growth response but not with insulin resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Pediatrics
  • Metabolic Research

Background:

  • Adiponectin, a hormone secreted by adipose tissue, is crucial in metabolic regulation.
  • Low adiponectin levels are associated with insulin resistance and obesity.
  • Growth hormone (GH) plays a vital role in childhood growth and metabolism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between serum adiponectin levels and growth response during GH treatment in children.
  • To examine potential correlations between adiponectin changes, insulin levels, and insulin resistance in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 94 short prepubertal children (75 boys, 19 girls) received daily GH injections.
  • Serum adiponectin levels were quantified using ELISA at baseline and at multiple time points post-treatment.
  • Statistical analyses, including correlation assessments, were performed to evaluate relationships between variables.

Main Results:

  • Serum adiponectin levels significantly decreased from baseline after 1 week, 3 months, and 1 year of GH treatment (p < 0.0001).
  • Baseline adiponectin showed a positive correlation with the first-year growth response (r = 0.26, p = 0.012).
  • The magnitude of adiponectin decrease after 3 months and 1 year significantly correlated with the first-year growth response (r = -0.38 and r = -0.47, respectively; p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

  • Growth hormone treatment in prepubertal children leads to a significant reduction in serum adiponectin levels.
  • The observed decrease in adiponectin is positively correlated with the treatment-induced growth response.
  • No significant correlations were found between adiponectin levels and either insulin levels or insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) during GH therapy.
Abstract

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