title: Effects of growth hormone-releasing hormone on bone turnover in human immunodeficiency virus-infected men with fat accumulation.
abstract: GHRH is a potentially appealing strategy to simultaneously improve fat distribution and increase bone turnover in HIV-infected patients. We investigated the effects of GHRH (1 mg sc twice a day over 12 wk) in 31 HIV-infected men with abdominal fat accumulation (age 46 +/- 1 yr, body mass index 26.2 +/- 0.6 kg/m2) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. We previously reported significant effects of GHRH on IGF-I and truncal fat. In this study, we assessed whether GHRH increased markers of bone turnover. At baseline, 32% of our subjects (n = 10) demonstrated a bone density Z score less than -1.0 sd and greater than or equal to -2.5 sd, and 3% (n = 1) demonstrated a Z score of less than -2.5 sd. IGF-I correlated with N-terminal telopeptide (NTx) (r = 0.49, P = 0.005) and tended to correlate with C-terminal telopeptide (CTx) (r = 0.35, P = 0.06) at baseline. Of the bone resorption markers, CTx increased significantly (0.16 +/- 0.07 vs. -0.03 +/- 0.03 ng/ml, GHRH vs. placebo, P = 0.02), and NTx tended to increase in response to GHRH (2.8 +/- 1.4 vs. -0.5 +/- 1.0 nm bone collagen equivalent, GHRH vs. placebo, P = 0.07). Of the bone formation markers, N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen increased (14.6 +/- 9 vs. -6.8 +/- 3.1 microg/liter, GHRH vs. placebo, P = 0.03) and osteocalcin tended to increase (8.4 +/- 3.0 vs. 2.0 +/- 1.6 ng/ml, GHRH vs. placebo, P = 0.06) in response to GHRH. The calciotropic hormones, calcium and phosphorus, did not change significantly. The change in IGF-I correlated with the change in NTx (r = 0.45, P = 0.02), CTx (r = 0.38, P = 0.05), and osteocalcin (r = 0.55, P = 0.002). GHRH improves fat distribution and bone metabolism in men with HIV-related fat accumulation. Long-term studies are needed to determine whether the stimulatory effects of GHRH on bone turnover will translate into increased bone density in this population.
authors.affiliation: Program in Nutritional Metabolism, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, LON 207, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Polyxeni
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koutkia
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Canavan
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breu
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grinspoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015519:Bone Density; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005223:Fats / Q000378:metabolism*; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D005223:Fats; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013007:Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone