THE IMPACT OF 12-MONTH GROWTH HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY ON LIPID METABOLISM AND ADIPOSE TISSUE DISTRIBUTION IN...

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is one of the reasons of significant metabolic morbidities inchildren and adults. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy on lipid profile and adipose tissue distribution in adults with GHD. Twenty hypopituitary adults, aged 40.75±2.2 years (mean ± SE, range 20.5-60), with adult onset GHD (aGHD) were enrolled in a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. 10 patients received recombinant growth hormone injection once weekly for 12 months, and the rest 10 patients (as control group) received placebo. The patients were selected from the basis of National Institute of Endocrinology. After 12 months of treatment mean values of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH), total cholesterol (CH) and triglycerides (TG) were increased in GH treated patients, compared to the control group (median increase in LDL-CH, CH and TG were 0.1 mmol/l, 0.1 mmol/l and 0.3mmol/l, respectively). In contrast, the favorable effect was seen in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CH) levels with the median increase of 0.2 mmol/l). Furthermore, there was an increase in adipose tissue distribution percentages, in GH treated patients (DXA: Legs +10.22%, Trunk: +7.43%, Android: +5.59%, Gynoid: +10.59%, Total body: +7.6%), compared to the control group, in which adipose tissue distribution was slightly improved or remained unchanged. Since the results of 12-month growth hormone treatment therapy did not show any improvements in lipid profile and adipose tissue distribution, the decision was made to prolong the study for the next 12 months.