title: Effects of growth hormone replacement therapy on lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins: is the increased apolipoprotein A-1/B ratio the only benefit?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the controversial role of growth hormone (GH) therapy in lipid regulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied serum levels of cholesterol and subgroups, triglyceride and apolipoprotein A-1 and B in 41 GH-deficient children (with subgroups of untreated and short- and long-term treated subjects) and 20 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (in mmol/L) were found to be 4.92 +/- 1.34 and 3.02 +/- 1.58 in untreated, 4.15 +/- 0.72 and 2.46 +/- 0.65 in short-term (3 month) treated, 4.93 +/- 1.39 and 3.15 +/- 1.38 in long-term (> 1 year) treated and 4.11 +/- 0.5 and 2.0 +/- 0.74 in control subjects, respectively. The apolipoprotein A-1:B ratio was 1.98 +/- 0.5 in long-term treated and 1.6 +/- 0.6 in control subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improvement of lipid composition with short-term GH therapy is temporary, but the increase in apo A-1:B is not and seems to be the particular benefit of this therapy.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Paediatrics, SSK Göztepe Education Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. mstar@superonline.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arslanoglu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nartop
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Isguven
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone