title: Growth hormone treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome has long-term, positive effects on body composition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Growth hormone (GH) treatment is a relatively new concept in adults, and the knowledge of its long-term effects is limited. We studied ten men with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) after more than 5 years of GH treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study participants underwent a detailed physical examination, including blood tests. Five had received GH as childhood and five had started GH as adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total duration of GH treatment was 16 ± 4 years in the childhood PWS group and 15 ± 1 years in the adulthood PWS group. Their respective mean ages were 27 ± 4 years and 44 ± 4 years, mean heights were 178 ± 11 cm and 156 ± 5 cm, and mean body mass indexes were 32.4 ± 10.3 kg/m(2) and 28.9 ± 4.6 kg/m(2) . There were no differences in body composition between the groups and all lipids and insulin-like growth factor 1 were normal or close to normal. Four had well-controlled type 2 diabetes. The GH doses in the childhood and adulthood groups were 0.4 mg and 0.3 mg, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Men with PWS who received GH treatment displayed positive effects on body composition independent of when the GH treatment had started. Only patients who gained weight developed diabetes. The duration of GH treatment should balance the benefits and observed side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of endocrinology, Metabolism and diabetology, Karolinska University Hospital and Department of molecular medicine and surgery, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Höybye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone
keywords: Body composition; Growth hormone deficiency; Long-term growth hormone treatment; Prader-Willi Syndrome