Growth hormone and body composition in children younger than 2 years with Prader-Willi syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To assess body composition of infants with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) by using deuterium dilution and investigating the efficacy of early institution of growth hormone (GH) therapy in increasing lean mass (LM) and preventing massive obesity.


METHODS
One group of 11 children with PWS <2 years before and during 30-month GH therapy (GH group) was compared with 6 infants administered only coenzyme Q(10) for 1 year (Q10 group). LM adjusted for height (LM(Ht)) and relative fat mass (%FM(Age)) standard deviation scores (SDS) were calculated from data of 95 healthy children.


RESULTS
Initially, LM(Ht) of all patients was below the normal average. LM(Ht) decreased by -0.46 +/- 0.3 SD (P=.03) per year in the Q10 group but rose by 0.25 +/- 0.3 SD (P=.02) per year during GH therapy, normalizing after 30 months (-0.70 +/- 1.0 SD). Despite low to normal weight for height (WfH), %FM(Age) was above the normal average (GH group, 31.0% +/- 4.5%, Q10 group, 32.4% +/- 9.5%). In the Q10 infants, %FM(Age) increased by 0.71 +/- 0.7 SD per year, whereas in the GH group, %FM(Age) remained more stable up to 30 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Diminished LM(Ht) found in infants with PWS further declines during the early years. Early institution of GH therapy lifts LM(Ht) into the normal range and delays fat tissue accumulation.
Eiholzer
Urs
U
Department of Biostatistics, University of Zürich, Switzerland. mail@childgrowth.org
L'allemand
Dagmar
D
Schlumpf
Michael
M
Rousson
Valentin
V
Gasser
Theo
T
Fusch
Christoph
C
D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D014451:Ubiquinone