Effects of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) administration on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors in obese adolescent girls

Exogenous Growth Hormone Exacerbates Post-Irradiation Atherosclerosis in Susceptible Epicardial Coronary Arteries

Cardiac exposure to ionizing radiation can damage both the microvasculature and coronary arteries, as well as increase the long-term risk of heart disease, myocardial fibrosis, and conduction abnormalities. Therapeutic agents capable of promoting recovery from radiation injury to the heart are limited. Growth hormone is linked to improved cardiac function following injury. Here, we leveraged a cynomolgus macaque model to determine the long-term outcomes of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy on the heart following low-dose ionizing radiation. Macaques were exposed to 2 Gy radiation, treated with rhGH for one month, and assessed after 2 years. Overall, plasma lipid profile, cardiac function, and coronary artery disease were similar between rhGH and placebo treated animals. However, a subgroup of rhGH-treated animals exhibited more extensive atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries. Together, these findings indicate that transient human growth hormone therapy subsequent to a single low dose of ionizing radiation involving the heart does not result in long-term changes to plasma cholesterol but may promote exacerbated coronary artery disease in a subset of individuals.

Long-acting growth hormone in the treatment of growth hormone deficiency in children: a systematic literature review and network meta-analysis

The purpose of this study is to compare the relative efficacy and safety of long-acting growth hormone (LAGH) as a growth hormone replacement therapy in prepubertal children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). We searched the PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and Wanfang databases from inception to July 2023 and identified eleven relevant studies. PEG-LAGH showed better effect on height velocity (mean difference [MD]: - 0.031, 95% credibility interval [CrI]: - 0.278, 0.215) than somatrogon (MD: 0.105, 95% CrI: - 0.419, 0.636), somapacitan (MD: 0.802, 95% CrI: - 0.451, 2.068) and lonapegsomatropin (MD: 1.335, 95% CrI: - 0.3, 2.989) when compared with daily growth hormone (DGH). Furthermore, in terms of height standard deviation score, PEG-LAGH demonstrated better improvement (MD: - 0.15, 95% CrI: - 1.1, 0.66) than somatrogon (MD: - 0.055, 95% CrI: - 1.3, 0.51) and somapacitan (MD: 0.22, 95% CrI: - 0.91, 1.3). PEG-LAGH (risk ratio [RR]: 1.00, 95% CrI: 0.82, 1.2) reduced the risk of adverse events compared with other LAGH (somatrogon, RR: 1.1, 95% CrI: 0.98, 1.2; somapacitan, RR: 1.1, 95% CrI: 0.96, 1.4; lonapegsomatropin, RR, 1.1, 95% CrI: 0.91, 1.3) and was comparable with DGH. This is the first study to indirectly compare the LAGH thorough a network meta-analysis and provide evidence of the optimal efficacy of various LAGH specifically PEG-LAGH and acceptable safety profile in prepubertal children with GHD.

Benefits and risks evaluation of recombinant human growth hormone replacement therapy in children with GHD after craniopharyngioma surgery

OBJECTIVES

Childhood-onset craniopharyngiomas (CPs) have a high incidence of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) leading to growth failure and metabolic disorders. We aim to evaluate the benefits and risks of recombinant human growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) in postoperative children.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed auxological and metabolic parameters and adverse events before and after GHRT of 44 children after CP surgery.

RESULTS

The median duration of GHRT was 24 months (IQR, 12.5-36). Growth velocity (GV) increased significantly after different treatment duration (TD) compared with baseline (p<0.001) and attained the greatest GV of 12.06 ± 4.16 cm/year at TD6. The mean height standard deviation score (HtSDS) from -3.20 ± 1.16 at baseline improved significantly to -1.51 ± 1.32 at TD36 (p<0.001). There were significant increases in insulin-like growth factor-1 SDS (IGF-1SDS), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 SDS (IGFBP-3SDS), bone age (BA), and BA/chronological age (CA) (p<0.05). There was a significant reduction in waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), but there were no significant changes in weight SDS (WtSDS) or BMISDS. Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and the incidence of hypercholesterolemia decreased (p<0.05). Three patients (6.8%) had tumor recurrence after 15, 30, and 42 months, respectively. A patient had residual tumor enlargement after 3 months. There was no adverse influence on glucose metabolism or any severe adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

GHRT effectively accelerates GV, increases HtSDS, and improves lipid profiles without unfavorable effects on glucose metabolism. The benefits are clear and the risks of adverse events are low.

Appraisal of Clinical Care Practices for Child Obesity Treatment. Part I: Interventions

The objective of this technical report is to provide clinicians with evidence-based, actionable information upon which to make assessment and treatment decisions for children and adolescents with obesity. In addition, this report will provide an evidence base to inform clinical practice guidelines for the management and treatment of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. To this end, the goal of this report was to identify all relevant studies to answer 2 overarching key questions: (KQ1) "What are clinically based, effective treatments for obesity?" and (KQ2) "What is the risk of comorbidities among children with obesity?" See Appendix 1 for the conceptual framework and a priori key questions.

Effects of growth hormone on lipid metabolism and sexual development in pubertal obese male rats

To investigate the effects of growth hormone (GH) on pubertal obese male rats, a rat model of high-fat diet-induced obesity was established in juvenile male rats. The model rats were divided into the treatment group (GH) and the non-treatment group (physiological saline). After 4 weeks, we measured the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), estrogen (E2), testosterone (T), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). The morphological changes of the liver and testis were assessed, and the expression of aromatase was detected. The levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, LDL-C, E2, and IGF-1 in the treatment group were significantly lower than in the non-treated model rats (P < 0.001). The levels of HDL-C and T of GH-treated rats were significantly higher than those of the non-treatment group (P < 0.001). Compared with non-treated model rats, GH-treated model rats showed reduced liver steatosis, improved morphological structure of the testicular seminiferous tubules, and an increased number of spermatogenic cells. The treatment group also showed lower expression of aromatase in the liver and testis compared with the non-treatment group. GH partially protected pubertal male rats from obesity-induced lipid metabolic disorder and sexual retardation.

Short-term efficacy and safety of a lower dose of polyethylene glycol recombinant human growth hormone in children with growth hormone deficiency: A randomized, dose-comparison study

Objective: Polyethylene glycol recombinant human growth hormone (PEG-rhGH, Jintrolong^®) is the first long-acting rhGH preparation that is approved to treat children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in China. Clinical experience with dose selections of PEG-rhGH is scarce. The present study compared the efficacy and safety of a lower dose to increase dosing regimens of PEG-rhGH treatment.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, dose-comparison clinical study was conducted to compare the improvements in the height standard deviation score (Ht SDS), height velocity (HV), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) SDS, and safety profiles of children with GHD who are treated with 0.2 mg/kg/week of PEG-rhGH dose or 0.14 mg/kg/week for 26 weeks.

Results: Ht SDS, HV, and IGF-1 SDS increased significantly after PEG-rhGH treatment in the two dose groups (p < 0.05). The improvements of Ht SDS, HV, and IGF-1 SDS were more significant in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group (p < 0.05). Ht SDS improvement in low-dose group was not non-inferiority to that in the high-dose group (p = 0.2987). The incidences of adverse events were comparable between the two groups.

Conclusion: The improvements of Ht SDS, HV, and IGF-1 SDS were more significant in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group (p < 0.05). PEG-rhGH at the dose of 0.14 mg/kg/week was effective and safe for children with GHD.

Clinical Trial Registration:clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02908958.

Fatigue After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

To provide a systematic review of published interventions for posttraumatic brain injury fatigue (PTBIF).

METHODS

PubMed and OneSearch were systematically searched for PTBIF interventions published between January 1, 1989, and March 31, 2019. Search results were evaluated for inclusion based on an abstract and full-text review. Inclusion criteria were (1) an investigation of an intervention, (2) participant sample including individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), (3) report of fatigue outcome data among individuals with TBI, and (4) articles available in English, Spanish, French, German, Afrikaans, or Dutch. A risk of bias assessment was conducted on all included publications.

RESULTS

The search resulted in 2343 publications, with 37 meeting inclusion criteria for this review. Categories of PTBIF interventions were pharmacological ( n = 13), psychological ( n = 9), exercise-based ( n = 4), complementary alternative medicine ( n = 5), electrotherapeutic ( n = 3), and multimodal ( n = 3). Only methylphenidate, modafinil, and cognitive behavioral therapy interventions included multiple cohorts. Pharmacological and psychological interventions represented the groups with the lowest risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

This review includes 37 studies, with 21 studies published after 2014. Methylphenidate and melatonin were the only pharmacological agents found to reduce fatigue in randomized controlled trials. Creatine given to children prospectively at onset of injury reduced fatigue at follow-up. Walking and water aerobics were effective exercise interventions in isolated randomized controlled studies. One multimodal study of children after concussion was more effective at reducing fatigue and postconcussion symptoms than community standard of care. Other interventions had equivocal results. Overall, more work remains to understand and develop treatments for PTBIF.

Effect of One-Year Growth Hormone Therapy on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Boys with Obesity

It has been recognized that people with obesity are more likely to have low growth hormone secretion. Recent studies have also confirmed that the abnormalities of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 axis were associated with cardiovascular complications in people with obesity. However, little is known about whether recombinant human growth hormone therapy could improve cardiovascular and metabolic risks in obese children. This study aims to evaluate the effect of one-year growth hormone therapy on obesity-related comorbidities and to assess the safety in Chinese boys with obesity. Eighteen boys with obesity were treated with recombinant human growth hormone for one year. Anthropometric measurements, endocrine testing, and cardiovascular risk markers were performed in all obese boys in baseline, and follow-up visits were performed at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and one year, respectively. After one year of recombinant human growth hormone treatment, the body mass index standard deviation scores decreased (P < 0.001) and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels increased (P < 0.001). GH treatment also reduced low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.001), total cholesterol (P < 0.001), triglycerides (P=0.042), and alanine aminotransferase (P=0.027) when compared with the baseline. One-year of recombinant human growth hormone treatment could improve cardiometabolic risk markers, without adverse effects on glucose homeostasis in boys with obesity.

Effects of recombinant human growth hormone administration on cardiovascular risk factors in obese children with relative growth hormone deficiency

Background

Based on the sample of obese children with relative growth hormone deficiency (GHD), the objective of our study was to determine the effects of rhGH treatment on cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index (BMI), lipid levels and glucose metabolism index.

Methods

A total of 43 obese children with relative GHD were included in our final analysis. The obese subjects were divided into two groups: recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) treatment group and untreated control group.

Results

After 6 months, subjects in the rhGH treatment group had significant reductions in BMI standard deviation scores (SDS) compared with controls (2.32 ± 0.85 vs. 2.80 ± 0.61; P = 0.041), and Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) level increased during rhGH treatment, in comparison with the control group (702.91 ± 246.03 vs. 348.30 ± 131.93 ng/mL, P < 0.001). GH treatment reduced 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) as well as 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 compared with the control group.

Conclusion

RhGH treatment for 6 months on obese children with relative GHD reduces BMI SDS, stabilize IGF-1 levels, and exerts beneficial effects on blood lipid profiles and live enzyme compared with untreated control group. Moreover, GH administration has no significant effects on increased insulin resistance and no adversely effect on glucose homeostasis.

Nutritional status and metabolic profile in neurologically impaired pediatric surgical patients

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is reported in pediatric neuromotor disability and impacts the child's health. We described the nutritional and metabolic status in neurologically impaired (NI) children undergoing surgery.

METHODS

Anthropometry, body composition, hormonal and nutritional evaluations were performed in 44 NI subjects (13.7±8.0 years). Energy needs were calculated by Krick's formula. Metabolic syndrome (MS) was defined applying the following criteria (≥3 defined MS): fasting blood glucose >100 mg/dL and/or homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) >97.5th percentile, trygliceride level >95th percentile, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level <5th percentile, systolic/diastolic pressure >95th percentile; whilebody mass index - standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) <2 and biochemical malnutrition markers (≥2) defined undernutrition.

RESULTS

Energy intake was not adequate in 73.8% of the patients; no correlation between energy intake and BMI was noted. Undernutrition was noted in 34.1% of patients and MS in 11.36% of subjects. Fifty percent of the patients presented with insulin resistance, which was not related to BMI, body composition or other MS components.

CONCLUSIONS

Nutritional and metabolic monitoring of disabled children and young adults is recommended to prevent adverse outcomes associated with malnutrition.