title: Long-term impact of GH treatment during childhood on body composition and fat distribution in young adults born SGA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  GH treatment of short children born small for gestational age (SGA) results in a decline in fat mass (FM) and an increase in lean body mass (LBM). It is, however, unknown whether these changes persist into adulthood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to assess the long-term impact of GH treatment during childhood on body composition and fat distribution.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 377 young adults participated in this cross-sectional study: 59 previously GH-treated young SGA adults compared to 52 untreated SGA adults with short stature (SGA-S), 161 SGA adults with spontaneous catch-up growth (SGA-CU), and 105 healthy normal-statured controls born appropriate for gestational age (AGA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Body composition and fat distribution were determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (SD) duration of GH treatment was 7.7 (2.4) yr and period after discontinuation 6.8 (1.8) yr. FM, fat distribution, and LBM of GH-treated SGA adults were not significantly different from that of untreated SGA-S adults. GH-treated SGA adults also had a similar FM and fat distribution as SGA-CU adults but a lower LBM. All SGA subgroups had a lower LBM and tended to have a higher FM than healthy AGA controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Body composition and fat distribution of previously GH-treated SGA adults was similar to that of untreated SGA-S adults. GH-induced catch-up growth has no unfavorable effect on FM and fat distribution compared with spontaneous catch-up growth. However, our study shows that SGA adults in general may have a different body composition than healthy AGA controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Subdivision of Endocrinology, Erasmus University Medical Center/Sophia Children's Hospital, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands. p.breukhoven@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Breukhoven
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Kerkhof
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: A C S
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Hokken-Koelega
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects*; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone