Growth hormone deficiency, low levels of adiponectin, and unfavorable plasma lipid and lipoproteins.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the impact of adolescent growth hormone deficiency (GHD) on circulating adiponectin levels and the relation between adiponectin, fasting insulin, plasma lipid, and lipoprotein levels.


METHODS
Twelve children with GHD on GH treatment with a chronological age (CA) of 14.4 +/- 2.0 years and 12 untreated adolescents with GHD with a CA of 14.9 +/- 2.3 years were studied. Adiponectin concentrations were measured in all patients, and the association of adiponectin with fasting insulin, total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A-1, and apolipoprotein B was evaluated. Twelve healthy adolescents served as control subjects.


RESULTS
Adiponectin levels were significantly lower in untreated GHD adolescents than in treated GHD subjects or in control subjects (P < .008). Total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and Apo B concentrations were increased in untreated GHD adolescents, whereas HDL cholesterol levels were similar in all three groups. Insulin levels were significantly increased in treated GHD adolescents when compared with control subjects (P < .05) but similar to those with untreated GHD. Adiponectin was found to be negatively associated with body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and with Apo B, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol concentrations in untreated GHD adolescents, whereas a positive correlation between adiponectin and HDL cholesterol was noted in both untreated and treated GHD subjects. Adiponectin correlated inversely with fasting insulin levels in untreated and treated GHD adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
GHD in adolescence is associated with low levels of adiponectin and with an unfavorable plasma lipid and lipoprotein profile. Our data suggest that treatment with GH may improve the abnormalities seen.
Lanes
Roberto
R
Pediatric Endocrine Unit, Hospital de Clínicas Caracas and Fundación Cardiovascular, Caracas, Venezuela. lanes@telcel.net.ve
Soros
Arlette
A
Gunczler
Peter
P
Paoli
Mariela
M
Carrillo
Eduardo
E
Villaroel
Omar
O
Palacios
Anselmo
A
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000293:Adolescent; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
D052242:Adiponectin; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D019382:Human Growth Hormone