Scientists have good news for people with adult GH deficiency (AGHD). According to research presented at the Endocrine Society’s 91st Annual Meeting, treatment with growth hormones dramatically improved body composition and serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in a dose-responsive manner in AGHD patients. In addition, serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol decreased in both low- and high-dose GH-treated groups, but showed a significant increase only in the group treated with high-dose hormone replacement therapy.
The findings came from a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study that included 96 Japanese patients aged 18 to 64 years with severe AGHD, including 68 with childhood-onset and 26 with adult-onset AGHD. The researchers also conducted a 48-week open-label study following the double-blind study.
“The goal of the studies were to assess whether a relationship exists between the dose of GH administered and body composition in this patient population,” explains Katsuhiko Tachibana, Research and Development Division of Japan’s JCR Pharmaceuticals, who presented the research at the annual meeting, which was held on June 11. “The changes in body composition, serum IGF-1 SDS, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol at the end of the double-blind study persisted throughout the open-label study, and there was no clinically relevant adverse event during both studies,” he says. Funding for the study was provided by JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., LTD.
News Release: Growth hormone improves serum levels of insulin-like growth factor, cholesterol in dose-responsive manner www.docguide.com June 18, 2009
