title: Short-term treatment with growth hormone stimulates osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity in osteopenic postmenopausal women: a dose response study.
abstract: To investigate the potential use of growth hormone (GH) in Activate-Depress-Free-Repeat treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, we measured changes in serum levels of biochemical markers of bone turnover, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), calciotropic hormones, and bone mineral density in 40 postmenopausal women with osteopenia (ages 52-73 years) in response to 7 days of treatment with either placebo or GH (0.05, 0.10, or 0.20 IU/kg/day) administered subcutaneously in the evening. GH treatment increased serum osteocalcin (p < 0.01) and C-terminal type-I procollagen propeptide (p < 0.01) and also serum levels of type-I collagen telopeptide (p < 0.001), fasting urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine (p < 0.05), pyridinoline/creatinine (p < 0.05), and deoxypyridinoline/creatinine (p < 0.01) in a dose-dependent fashion. Even the lowest dose of GH tested induced a significant increase in these parameters; however, the effects were transient lasting only 1-2 weeks. In the highest dose group, however, a somewhat prolonged effect (30 days) on serum osteocalcin was observed. Furthermore, GH increased serum levels of IGF-I, insulin, and tri-iodothyronin. No effect on serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or parathyroid hormone could be demonstrated. Adverse effects were mainly related to fluid retention. They were clearly dose-dependent and rapidly reversible. In conclusion, short-term GH treatment stimulates bone formation and bone resorption in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brixen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kassem
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Loft
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flyvbjerg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mosekilde
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000188:drug therapy; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007328:Insulin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; C042813:procollagen type I carboxy terminal peptide; D015675:Osteocalcin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D002117:Calcitriol