title: Effects of short-term treatment with orlistat on growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-I axis in obese post-menopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is associated with an altered GH/IGF-I axis status, accounting for the increased cardiovascular risk in obese subjects with GH deficiency. Aim of this randomized, simple-blind, cross-over study was to verify the effectiveness of a short-term treatment with orlistat in reducing non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and influencing the endogenous activity of GH/IGF-I axis in obese subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome measures were post-prandial lipemia; GH peak after GHRH+arginine; IGF-I; IGF-binding protein (BP)-3, IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio. Secondary outcome measures were insulin resistance (IR) indexes (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and Insulin Sensitivity Index).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty obese post-menopausal women (age: 53.6 ± 6.2; body mass index: 34.1 ± 4.0) were randomized to receive normo-caloric diet plus + orlistat (Roche, UK; 120 mg tid) or normo-caloric diet without the additional treatment. The duration of follow-up was 10 days for each treatment period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Orlistat induced a weight-independent reduction in post-prandial NEFA levels compared with diet alone, with higher GH peak, IGF-I, and IGF-I/IGFBP3 ratio. GH peak was correlated negatively with postprandial NEFA and positively with IGF-I and IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Orlistat is effective in inducing a weight-independent higher reduction in post-prandial NEFA levels than dietary treatment alone along with increase in GH peak, IGF-I levels, and IGFI/ IGFBP-3 ratio. These results might add a new potential benefit of orlistat in the management of obese subjects.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS SDN Foundation Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Somma
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivellese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Rosa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cipriano
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nedi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colao
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Savastano
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077403:Orlistat; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D007783:Lactones; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D000077403:Orlistat