Abstract
This study was designed to assess the changes in the body composition in patients with GH deficiency after 3 months of human growth hormone (hGH) treatment. Nine prepubertal patients (1 female and 8 males, aged 8 - 14 yr old) with GH deficiency were studied. The changes were measured on a monthly basis. The body composition measurements were made by the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method (BIA 101, RJL Systems, USA). The mean percentage (% FAT) and kilograms (kg FAT) of body fat significantly decreased at 2 months of hGH therapy from 15.3 +/−3.7 to 13.0 +/− 3.8% (P<0.005) and from 4.1 +/− 1.5 to 3.7 +/− 1.6 kg (P<0.05), respectively. The mean percentage (% LBM) and kg (kg LBM) of lean body mass increased from 84.7 +/− 3.7 to 86.6 +/− 3.9% (P<0.05) and from 22.7 +/− 5.5 to 24.1 +/− 5.9 kg (P<0.01), respectively. Subsequently, the mean LBM/FAT ratio (L/F) increased from 6.03 +/− 1.82 to 7.42 +/− 2.23 (P<0.05) in terms of the percentage of FAT and LBM. and from 5.82 +/− 1.38 to 7.30 +/− 2.25 (P<0.05) in terms of the kilograms of FAT and LBM. There were no significant changes in FAT and L/F between 2 and 3 months of hGH therapy. These results indicate that the body composition changes rapidly by 2 months of hGH treatment, and then settles into a stabilized state.
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Kohno, H., Ukaji, K., Yanai, S. et al. RAPID CHANGES IN BODY COMPOSITION AFTER GH TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH GH DEFICIENCY. Pediatr Res 33 (Suppl 5), S62 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00354
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199305001-00354