title: The effect of gender and age on growth hormone replacement in growth hormone-deficient patients.
abstract: We analyzed the effect of growth hormone replacement therapy (36 months) analyzed at a dose adjusted to maintain serum insulin-like growth factor-I level between the median and the upper end of the age-related reference range on bone mineral density, body composition, and carbohydrate metabolism with respect to gender and age in 20 adult patients (9 women, 11 men, mean age: 43 years, range: 21-61 years). The lumbar and femoral T-score was increased after 12 and after 18 months of therapy respectively in men (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002), but did not changed significantly in women. The increase of femoral T-score was greater in young men (< or = 45 years, n = 6) than old men (> 45 years, n = 5, p < 0.001). Body fat was lower in men than in women after 6 months (p = 0.002). The waist/hip ratio only decreased in women (p = 0.044). The waist circumference decreased in both genders after 6 months of therapy (p < 0.001), but more markedly in females than in males (p < 0.05). The sum of skinfold thicknesses was reduced in males after 6 months of therapy (p < 0.001). Changes in body composition parameters measured were independent of age. The glycosylated hemoglobin increased without sex or age difference after 12 months of initiation of therapy (p < 0.001), but fasting glucose and insulin levels did not change during the therapy. Our results indicate that the effect of growth hormone replacement on bone mineral content in adults is age- and gender-dependent, gender dependent on body composition, but independent of age and gender on carbohydrate metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, National Medical Centre, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hubina
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Szabolcs
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Szücs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rácz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Czirják
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Görömbey
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Góth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I