Abstract
Bioelectric Impedance (BIA) correlates wiih anthropometric methods as well as oiher methods to estimate body composition in humans. In children BIA has mainly been used in nutritional studies, whereas hormonal influences have not been studied. In adults excess and deficiency of GH markedly change the body composition.
Aim: The aim of this study was to find out if the variation of GH secretion in children influences their body composition measured as BIA.
Material and methods: BIA measurements (n=221) were performed at standardized conditions in 189 children (140 male, 87 prepub/53 pub, 81 female, 31/50) with a mean age of 11.8 (SD 3.5) and range 2.0-19.9 years; mean height SDS of -1.09, range -4.3 to 4.4 and with a mean spontaneous 24h-GH secretion expressed as peak secretion (AUCb) of GH mU/L/24h (range 25-268 mU/L/24h). The children were investigated due to short or tall stature or were normal controls. Only children with severe GH deficiency (AUCb < 25 mU/L) were excluded. The technical error of the BIA measnremenl was 2%. The BIA measure is expressed as Height2/Resistance (H2/R) or as fat free mass (FFM) calculated by formulas by Deurenberg et al, for prepubertal (Eur-J-Clin-Nutr. 1989:43,623-9) and pubcrtal children (Eur-J-Clin-Nutr. 1990:44. 261-8).
Results: In a multiple regression model, weight followed by sex and pubertal stage were the main determinants of H2/R (r=0.97) and FFM (r=0.99). Baseline-GH(*) and AUCb(***) add a significant but minor part to the model. All GH parameters where significant for prepubertal boys (GHt(***), AUCb(*), baseline(*) but not for the other subgroups (pre/pub girls and pub boys).
Conclusion: Body composition measured by BIA in healthy children varies with weight, sex and puberial stage, but only 10 a minor degree with GH secretion. Therefore the dose response curves of GH are different for growth and metabolic effect, measured by BIA. The relationship in severely GH deficient or hypersecreiing children remains to be studied.
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Bjarnason, R., Rosberg, S., Bosaeus, I. et al. GROWTH HORMONE SECRETION IN HEALTHY CHILDREN IS NOT A MAJOR DETERMINANT OF BODY COMPOSITION MEASURED AS BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE. Pediatr Res 33 (Suppl 5), S54 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00303
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00303