Effects of growth hormone replacement therapy on lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins: is the increased apolipoprotein A-1/B ratio the only benefit?
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.
Yildiz
M
M
Clinic of Paediatrics, SSK Göztepe Education Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. mstar@superonline.com
Arslanoglu
I
I
Yildiz
N
N
Nartop
F
F
Isik
K
K
Isguven
P
P
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
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone