The effect of human growth hormone therapy on skinfold thickness in growth hormone-deficient children

Skinfold thickness (ST) was measured in 43 children with various forms of growth hormone (GH) deficiency during the first year of GH therapy. The average (and SEM) initial ST, expressed as standard deviation score (SDS) was 1.17 (0.25) for subscapular, 0.63 (0.18) for triceps, and 0.40 (0.21) for biceps ST. During therapy the average decrease is 1 SD. Children in the pubertal age group and those with partial GH deficiency showed smaller decreases. A larger decrease of triceps ST was associated with lower GH and insulin peaks, and lower age, bone age and initial weight-for-height. Some correlations between ST decrease and growth response in the first year were significant, but still too low to allow of reliable predictions. The same was true for other clinical parameters. These data indicate that a chronic lack of GH leads to unequal fat distribution, possibly due to different sensitivities to GH in the trunk and extremities. The variability of ST responses to GH therapy limits clinical applications.