Low urinary GH levels in normal statured obese children.
Urinary GH (u-GH) levels were evaluated in 240 children (age range 5-14 years; 136M, 104F) of normal height (25-90th centile); 165 children were defined as "non-obese" (body mass index (BMI) < 75th centile for their chronological age (CA)) and 75 as "obese" (BMI > 75th). U-GH levels were determined using a two-site enzyme immunometric assay and calculated as the mean obtained from the values of three consecutive first morning voidings; results were expressed as both u-GH concentration (ngl-1) and u-GH excretion (ng per night). Multiple regression analysis revealed that in all children (non-obese and obese) most of the variation in u-GH levels (ngl-1 and ng night-1) was explained by BMI (coefficient: -0.72, p < 0.0001 and coefficient: -0.10, p < 0.001, respectively) and chronological age (coefficient: 1.03, p < 0.01 and coefficient; 0.27, p < 0.001, respectively), whereas sex and pubertal stage did not add significance to the variance. In obese children, mean u-GH concentration and u-GH excretion (per night) levels were significantly lower than those recorded in non-obese children both before and during puberty. A similar trend towards higher u-GH levels at puberty was found in non-obese and obese children. In conclusion, our study shows that u-GH levels are (a) related to CA and BMI in the general population and (b) significantly lower in obese than in non-obese children, in spite of their comparable normal height. The measurement of u-GH excretion in the assessment of children with short stature needs to take into consideration the role of marked ponderal excess, which is associated "per se" with significantly lower u-GH levels.
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Italian Center for Auxology, Milan, Italy.
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D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000652:urine*; D011627:Puberty / Q000652:urine
D019382:Human Growth Hormone