Favorable Impacts of Growth Hormone (GH) Replacement Therapy on Atherogenic Risks in Japanese Children with GH Deficiency

Growth hormone (GH) affects body composition and atherogenic risk factors. Severe hyperlipidemia may develop in GH-deficient adults as a consequence of continuous GH deficiency. We investigated changes in lipid profiles in 158 Japanese children (103 boys and 55 girls) with GH deficiency who had been enrolled in the Pfizer International Growth Database Japan during 3 yr of GH replacement therapy to evaluate whether GH treatment has beneficial effects on atherogenic risk factors. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and atherogenic index were evaluated before treatment and then once a year during treatment. The mean baseline TC was within the normal range in both boys and girls. Seventeen (16.5%) of the 103 boys and 18 (32.7%) of the 55 girls, however, had a TC level over 200 mg/dl before treatment. The mean TC level showed a significant decrease in girls. In a separate analysis, patients of both sexes with a TC level > 200 mg/dl showed significantly decreased TC. LDLC decreased significantly only in girls, while HDLC showed no change in either sex. The atherogenic index decreased significantly in girls. GH replacement therapy in children with GH deficiency had beneficial effects on lipid metabolism and atherogenic risk in both sexes. Early GH treatment would produce lipid metabolism benefits in these patients.