title: Growth hormone (GH) enhances anaerobic capacity: impact on physical function and quality of life in adults with GH deficiency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anaerobic capacity is impaired in adults with GH deficiency (GHD), adversely affecting physical function and quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether GH replacement improves anaerobic capacity, physical function and QoL in adults with GHD.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-month double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study of GH (0·5 mg/day), followed by a 6-month open phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 18 adults with GHD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anaerobic power (watts) was assessed by the 30-s Wingate test, and aerobic capacity by the VO2 max (l/min) test. Physical functional was assessed by the stair climb test, chair stand test, 7-day pedometry and QoL by the AGHDA questionnaire. Lean body mass (LBM) was quantified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GH replacement normalized IGF-1 levels during both study phases. During the 1-month placebo-controlled study, improvement in stair climb and chair stand performance was observed during GH and placebo treatment; however, there were no significant GH effects observed in any outcome measure compared to placebo. Six months of GH treatment significantly increased anaerobic power (P < 0·05), chair stand repetitions (P < 0·0001), daily step count (P < 0·05) and QoL scores (P < 0·001) compared to baseline measurements. GH treatment did not significantly improve VO2 max. Improvement in anaerobic power independently predicted an improvement in energy and vitality domain of QoL (P = 0·03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GH replacement improves anaerobic capacity, physical function and QoL in a time-dependent manner in adults with GHD. Improvement in the anaerobic but not aerobic energy system is likely to underlie the improvement in QoL in patients with GHD during GH replacement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Viral
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chikani
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Cuneo
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|Mater Research Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hickman
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. k.ho@uq.edu.au.|School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. k.ho@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ken K Y
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I