Effect of growth hormone on height, weight, and body composition in Prader-Willi syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of the administration of growth hormone on stature, body weight, and body composition in children aged between 4 and 10 years with Prader-Willi syndrome.


METHODS
Height, weight, and skinfold thickness were recorded in 25 children using standard anthropometric techniques at recruitment, and six months later, shortly before the start of daily subcutaneous injections of growth hormone. Body composition was assessed via a measurement of total body water using stable isotopes. Measurements were repeated at the end of the six months of growth hormone administration. Measurements of height, weight, and skinfold thickness were expressed as standard deviation scores (SDSs).


RESULTS
There was a significant reduction in the percentage of body fat after growth hormone treatment; height velocity doubled during treatment; body weight did not change significantly when expressed as an SDS. Skinfold thickness at both the triceps and subscapular site decreased in absolute terms and when expressed as an SDS.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate sufficient potential benefit to justify a more prolonged trial of growth hormone treatment and an exploration of different dosage regimens in children with Prader-Willi syndrome.
Davies
P S
PS
School of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
Evans
S
S
Broomhead
S
S
Clough
H
H
Day
J M
JM
Laidlaw
A
A
Barnes
N D
ND
D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012885:Skinfold Thickness
D019382:Human Growth Hormone