Histomorphometric bone modifications induced by growth hormone treatment in a rabbit model of short bowel syndrome.
The effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on cancellous and cortical bone were investigated in an experimental rabbit model of short bowel syndrome (SBS). Eighteen young male New Zealand rabbits, 2.0 +/- 0.2 kg b.w., were divided into three groups: an SBS Group submitted to a 70% midjejunoileal enterectomy and reanastomosis; an SBS-GH Group undergoing the same surgery and receiving 0.4 mg/kg/day rhGH for 28 days; a Control Group which was sham-operated. Thirty-five days after surgery, all the animals were pharmacologically euthanised and their femurs and L5 vertebrae were used for densitometric and histomorphometric studies. Vertebral and femoral densitometric results showed that the SBS Group presented significantly (P<0.01) lower values (10-25%) than the Control and SBS-GH Groups. Significant differences in the cancellous histomorphometric parameters, namely the trabecular bone area (-7% to 46%), trabecular thickness (-21% to 34%) and trabecular separation (17-32%), were observed between the SBS Group and the other groups. Both the SBS and SBS-GH Groups showed significantly (P<0.05) higher values than the Control Group in terms of cross-sectional area (approximately 24%), cortical area (approximately 20%), and periosteal perimeter (approximately 9%), while medullary area (41%) and endocortical perimeter (18%) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in SBS Group than those of Control Group. The current findings are encouraging and suggest that GH administration in SBS animal model used may improve skeletal tissue remodelling.
Department of Experimental Surgery, Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano, 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy. roberto.giardino@ior.it
R
R
Giardino
P
P
Torricelli
G
G
Giavaresi
M
M
Fini
N Nicoli
NN
Aldini
G
G
Ruggeri
M
M
Lima
A
A
Carpi
D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012778:Short Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications*
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone