Body composition distribution changes after short-term growth hormone treatment in adults with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency: A case‒control study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study is to explore the specificity of baseline indicators in patients with IAGHD and investigate the potential differential therapeutic effects of short-term GH treatment on body composition distribution in IAGHD patients and non-IAGHD with established etiology. Methods Nineteen patients with IAGHD and 26 patients matched by basic data with non-IAGHD of definite etiology were included in this prospective, case–control study. All subjects underwent complete anthropometric and laboratory measurements at baseline and after 6 months of recombinant human GH replacement therapy. Of these patients, 13 IAGHD and 19 non-IAGHD patients underwent a quantitative assessment of body composition using deep learning software. Results Baseline: IAGHD group had higher height (p=0.025), LBM (p=0.009) and total body muscle (p=0.029), and lower WHR (p=0.034) compared to non-IAGHD group. Short-term GH therapy in non-IAGHD patients: Increased total body normal and abnormal attenuation muscle (p=0.035/p=0.009) and reduced IMF volume in upper limbs and abdomen (p=0.050/p=0.040), indicating positive body component redistribution. However, GH therapy resulted in increased weight (p=0.048) and waist circumference (p=0.038), decreased LBM and bilateral upper extremity muscle (p=0.028), and increased total body fat (p=0.046), intra-abdominal fat (p=0.004), torso visceral fat (p=0.038), AVF (p=0.017), and bilateral upper and proximal lower extremity SF volume in IAGHD patients (p=0.015/p=0.038). HOMA-IR in IAGHD patients was significantly correlated with adipose-related parameters. Conclusion There were significant differences in the clinical parameters of IAGHD patients at baseline, and short-term GH replacement therapy appeared to be detrimental to the redistribution of body composition in IAGHD patients.