Liang S, et al. - During this trial, the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment on cardiovascular risk factors, with the inclusion of body mass index (BMI), lipid levels and glucose metabolism index was examined by researchers in obese children with relative growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Findings reported a reduction in BMI standard deviation scores (SDS), stabilization of insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) levels, and conferred beneficial effects on blood lipid profiles and live enzymes due to rhGH treatment for 6 months on these children compared with untreated controls. Furthermore, GH administration did not exhibit any major effects on increased insulin resistance as well as no adverse effect on glucose homeostasis.

Methods

• This study included 43 obese children with relative GHD.
• Enrollees were divided into 2 groups: Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment group and untreated control group.

Results

• Individuals in the rhGH treatment group demonstrated notable reductions in BMI standard deviation scores (SDS) compared with controls (2.32 ± 0.85 vs 2.80 ± 0.61; P=0.041) after 6 months.
• Moreover, insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) level increased during rhGH treatment compared to the control group (702.91 ± 246.03 vs 348.30 ± 131.93 ng/mL, P < 0.001).
• GH treatment lowered low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (2.20 ± 0.45 vs 2.63 ± 0.76 mmol/L, P=0.027), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (21.26 ± 5.72 vs 32.30 ± 17.68 mmol/L, P=0.006) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (16.70 ± 6.72 vs 45.20 ± 46.62 mmol/L, P=0.002), and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (1.45 ± 0.40 vs 1.19 ± 0.23 mmol/L, P=0.016) levels vs control group.