Growth hormone and the heart in children

Background and Aims: The fact that growth hormone (GH) influences cardiovascular structure and function is well established through both human and animal studies. Despite being secreted in a pulsatile fashion, only the impact of peak GH concentrations on cardiac parameters has previously been reported, and the time-dependency of cardiovascular effects during GH treatment has not been detailed. The aims of this pediatric study were (i) to establish the expression of GH-receptor (GH-R) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA locally in the heart in children of different ages, (ii) to study in detail the relationship between the heart and endogenous GH secretion pattern, (iii) to study the cardiovascular effects of GH treatment and (iv) to examine organ/tissue-specific responses