Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
Noninvasive Assessment of Cardiac Abnormalities in Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis by Magnetic Resonance Microscopy Imaging in the Mouse
Published on: June 20, 2014
Cardiac function in growth hormone deficient patients before and after 1 year with replacement therapy: a magnetic
Mikkel Andreassen1, Jens Faber, Andreas Kjaer
1Department of Endocrinology, Endocrine Research Laboratory, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark. andreassenmikkel@hotmail.com
Insights
Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) does not impair cardiac function or mass, and replacement therapy shows no significant cardiac effects. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging confirmed no changes in left ventricle function or mass after one year of treatment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) effects on cardiac function are inconsistently reported using echocardiography.
- Left ventricle (LV) mass and function are key indicators of cardiac health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cardiac function and mass in severe GHD patients before and during growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy.
- To utilize cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) as a precise assessment tool.
- To measure circulating B-type natriuretic peptides (BNP and NT-proBNP) as biomarkers.
Main Methods:
- 16 severe GHD patients and 16 matched controls underwent CMRI at baseline and 1 year.
- IGF-I, BNP, and NT-proBNP levels were measured serially for 12 months.
- CMRI assessed LV mass, end-diastolic volume index, end-systolic volume index, and ejection fraction.
Main Results:
- GHD patients had smaller LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes but similar LV mass and systolic function compared to controls at baseline.
- One year of GH replacement therapy did not significantly alter LV mass, systolic function, or cardiac output.
- BNP levels remained unchanged, while NT-proBNP showed a trend towards decrease.
Conclusions:
- Untreated severe GHD is not associated with impaired LV systolic function or reduced LV mass when assessed by CMRI.
- One year of physiological GH replacement therapy does not impact cardiac mass or function in GHD patients.
Abstract:
Assessed by conventional echocardiography the influence of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and effects of replacement therapy on left ventricle (LV) function and mass (LVM) have shown inconsistent results. We aimed to evaluate cardiac function before and during replacement therapy employing the gold standard method cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) and measurements of circulating levels of B-type natriuretic peptides. Sixteen patients (8 males and 8 females, mean age 49 years (range 18-75)) with severe GHD and 16 matched control subjects were included. CMRI was performed at baseline and after 1 year of GH replacement therapy. IGF-I, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-BNP (NT-proBNP) were measured after 0, 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. IGF-I Z-score increased from (median (IQR)) -2.3 (-3.8 to -1.4) to 0.5 (-0.3 to 1.7). LVM index (LVMI), ejection fraction (range 63-80%), cardiac output index and levels of BNP and NT-proBNP were similar at baseline in patients compared to controls (P-values from 0.09 to 0.37). The patients had significantly smaller LV end-diastolic volume index (P = 0.032) and end-systolic volume index (P = 0.038). No significant change in LV systolic function or LVM occurred during 1 year of GH treatment. BNP levels were unchanged (P = 0.88), whereas NT-proBNP tended to decrease (P = 0.052). Assessed by the highly sensitive and precise CMRI method, untreated GHD was not associated with impaired systolic function or reduced LVMI and 1 year of GH replacement using physiological doses did not influence cardiac mass or function.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Cardiomyopathy III: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
01:21Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System IV: CMRI
01:30Cardiomyopathy II: Dilated Cardiomyopathy
01:24Magnetic Resonance Imaging