Treatment of cachexia with recombinant growth hormone in a patient before lung transplantation: a case report.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in a severely malnourished patient before lung transplantation.


METHODS
Case study.


METHODS
Intensive care unit.


METHODS
A 38-yr-old severely malnourished (body mass index, 15.1 kg/m2) woman (receiving prednisone) with bronchiolitis obliterans evolving during 10 yrs presented with end-stage lung disease and required continuous noninvasive mechanical ventilation.


METHODS
Two courses of 35 days of 16 IU/day (0.42 IU/kg/day) rhGH administered subcutaneously, with an interruption of 5 wks between the two courses of rhGH.


RESULTS
Weight gain of 14.7% and 12.8% fat-free mass, as measured by 50-kHz bioelectrical impedance analysis, during treatment during a 3.5-month period. Nitrogen excretion decreased from 23.7 g/day before treatment to 8.0 g/day while receiving rhGH. Improvement of pulmonary function was also noted and allowed discharge of the patient from the hospital after the second course of rhGH. She underwent successful lung transplantation 2 months later and reached 48.8 kg of body weight 6 months later.


CONCLUSIONS
rhGH treatment is a possible strategy that could be used with malnourished patients who are awaiting lung transplantation to improve the nutritional status and respiratory muscle function to prevent recurring respiratory infection and postoperative complications favored by malnutrition and possibly to decrease the length of hospital stay.
Pichard
C
C
Division of Nutrition, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland. Pichard@CMU.UNIGE.CH
Kyle
U G
UG
Jolliet
P
P
Slosman
D O
DO
Rochat
T
T
Nicod
L
L
Romand
J
J
Mensi
N
N
Chevrolet
J C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D002100:Cachexia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010992:Plethysmography, Impedance; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D009584:Nitrogen; D011241:Prednisone