title: Metabolic parameters and adipokine profile during GH replacement therapy in children with GH deficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  GH replacement therapy in children with GH deficiency (GHD) mainly promotes linear growth. Not only have very few studies fully analyzed the metabolic consequences of GH therapy, but also the question as to whether GH may affect adipokine secretion has been insufficiently investigated. Our aim was to study the effects of GH replacement therapy on auxological data, lipid and glycemic profiles, insulin homeostasis (HOMA-IR) and serum adipokines in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 1-year prospective study. Thirty-four GHD children (11.6 +/- 2.6 years) and thirty healthy matched controls were enrolled. Children affected by GHD were studied both before beginning continuous GH replacement therapy and again at 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the beginning of the study, total and LDL cholesterol were higher in GHD children than in controls (P<0.001), whereas HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA-IR, leptin, and adiponectin were similar. At 12 months of continuous GH replacement therapy in the GHD group, there was a significant increase in both auxological data and IGF-I (P<0.001); total cholesterol (P<0.001), LDL (P<0.001), triglycerides (P<0.005), and leptin (P<0.001) decreased significantly; HDL (P<0.003), insulin (P<0.001), HOMA-IR (P<0.001) increased while adiponectin was unmodified. Furthermore, IGF-IDelta showed an inverse correlation with leptin Delta (rho = -0.398, P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In GHD children, the evaluation of metabolic parameters proves to be a useful tool for the evaluation of auxological parameters during GH replacement therapy. In our study, GH replacement therapy in GHD children improved final height, restored IGF-I levels, reduced leptin levels, and improved the lipid profile, without producing any unfavorable effects on glucose metabolism.
authors.affiliation: U.O. per la Diagnosi e Cura delle Endocrinopatie Autoimmuni e del Diabete di Tipo uno, Sezione di Endocrinologia, Dipartimento di Oncologia Sperimentale e Applicazioni Cliniche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciresi
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Criscimanna
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mattina
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vetro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galluzzo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Acquisto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giordano
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I