title: Human growth hormone stabilizes walking and improves strength in a patient with dominantly inherited calpainopathy.
abstract: The aim was to investigate if daily low-dose treatment with recombinant human growth hormone (somatropine) can stabilize or improve muscle strength and walking capability in a patient with dominantly inherited calpainopathy. The patient was treated with daily injections of somatropine, except for a 6-month pause, over a period of 4.5 years. Efficacy was assessed by repeated muscle dynamometry tests and 6-minute walk tests (6MWT). Strength improved in most muscle groups on treatment, deteriorated in the 6-month off treatment, and improved again when treatment was resumed. The 6MWT stabilized during the initial 18-month treatment period, then deteriorated in the 6 months off treatment and improved to pre-trial levels when treatment was resumed. The findings suggest that supplementation with somatropine, within physiological ranges, may improve muscle strength and stabilize walking capability in a patient with calpainopathy. This finding calls for testing of somatropine supplementation in muscular dystrophies in a randomized study.
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: kira@prahm.dk.
authors.forename: Kira Philipsen
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Prahm
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Feldt-Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vissing
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000187:drug effects*; D049288:Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone
keywords: Calpainopathy; Human growth hormone; Limb girdle muscular dystrophy