title: Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Children Treated with Growth Hormone: A Follow-Up Study over Three Years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is an ongoing discussion whether high doses of growth hormone (GH) may lead to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, we studied the longitudinal relationships between GH treatment and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), which is predictive of the development of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured blood pressure, lipids, hemoglobin HbA1c, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and cIMT in 28 children treated with supraphysiological doses of GH (mean age 9.8 ± 2.2 years, 39% males) and 36 children suffering from GH deficiency (GHD) and treated with physiological doses of GH (mean age 9.7 ± 2.2 years, 72% males) in a longitudinal study over 3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cIMT values did not change significantly in the observation period in children with GHD (Δmaximum and Δmean cIMT 0.0 ± 0.1 mm). The mean (+0.1 ± 0.1 mm) but not the maximum cIMT (0.0 ± 0.1 mm) increased significantly (p = 0.049) in the children treated with supraphysiological doses of GH. Blood pressure, lipids, and HbA1c were not related to cIMT, while IGF-1, IGFBP-3, body mass index expressed as a standard deviation score, and treatment duration correlated significantly with cIMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not find any robust evidence that GH treatment is associated with changes in cIMT. Further studies are necessary to analyze the impact of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 concentrations on cIMT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Medicine, Vestische Hospital for Children and Adolescents Datteln, University of Witten/Herdecke, Datteln, Germany.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rothermel
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Knop
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lass
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toschke
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wunsch
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reinehr
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; C515497:IGFBP3 protein, human; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human