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Low bone status in Indian growth hormone-deficient children

Veena H Ekbote1, Vaman Khadilkar, Shashi A Chiplonkar

  • 1Jehangir Hospital, Pune, India.

Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism : JPEM
|February 22, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Children with growth hormone (GH) deficiency have low bone mineral content, even after adjusting for bone size and lean body mass. This indicates a persistent deficit in bone mineralization in these growth-impaired children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Bone Metabolism
  • Growth Disorders

Background:

  • Growth hormone (GH) is essential for childhood linear bone growth, skeletal maturation, and mineralization.
  • Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) significantly impacts skeletal development in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of bone size and lean body mass (LBM) on total body bone mineral content (TBBMC) in prepubertal children with GHD.
  • To assess TBBMC adjusted for bone size and LBM in 50 prepubertal GHD children.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of total body bone mineral content (TBBMC) adjusted for lean body mass (LBM) and bone age (BA).
  • Application of the Molgaard approach to categorize bone size ('short', 'narrow') and density ('light').
  • Assessment of LBM and TBBMC relative to height (Ht) and LBM.

Main Results:

  • Children exhibited a mean height-for-age Z-score of -5.0±1.7.
  • Adjusted TBBMC (less head) for height, LBM, and bone age remained significantly low (Z-score -3.27±0.27).
  • A high prevalence of "short bones" (100%), "narrow bones" (86%), and "light bones" (72%) was observed. Low LBM for height (87%) and low TBBMC for LBM (33%) were also noted.

Conclusions:

  • Total body bone mineral content in GH-deficient children remains low even after adjustments for bone size and LBM.
  • These findings suggest an intrinsic deficit in bone mineralization in children with GHD, independent of body composition and skeletal dimensions.
Abstract

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