Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2005 Mar;48(3):741-749.

A study of the effect of low dose recombinant human growth hormone replacement therapy on bone mineral density, IGF-1, hand grip strength, body fat and serum lipid compositions in postmenopausal women

• Choi HJ
• Kim YS
• Jeon S
• Kim JS
• Choi SD
• Sunwoo JG
• Bae DH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of low-dose growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy on bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and femur, IGF-1, hand grip, body fat and serum lipid compositions in postmenopausal women.
METHODS
A total of 9 postmenopausal women were assigned to receive growth hormone with a daily dose 0.0095 IU/kg, six times a week. We compared the change of bone marrow density (BMD), bone marker (osteocalcin), IGF-1, hand grip strength, body fat and serum lipid compositions during therapy. Repeated measure ANOVA test was used for statistical analysis.
RESULTS
The results were as follows. 1. Mean age of the patients was 62.2 +/- 2.7 years. 2. The bone marker, osteocalcin level at 3 and 6 months were increased by 28% and 35% respectively, compared to baseline (p<0.05). 3. Serum IGF-1 level at 1, 3 and 6 months were increased by 61%, 46% and 15% respectively, compared to baseline (p<0.05). 4. Lumbar and spine bone marrow density (BMD) were increased during GH treament, but not significant (p>0.05). 5. Hand grip strength at 6 months was increased by 7.8% compared to baseline (p<0.05). 6. The body fat composition at 6 months treament was showed a 0.75% decrease with no statistical significance (p>0.05). 7. The total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol were decreased during GH treament, but not significance (p>0.05). The HDL cholesterol was increased with no statistical significance (p>0.05).
CONCLUSION
Our study results suggest that low-dose GH replacement therapy in postmenopausal women have beneficial effect on increased BMD, hand grip strength and HDL cholesterol. The present findings provide useful information regarding the use of low-dose GH treament in elderly women with osteoporosis.

Keyword

Low dose growth hormone; Bone mineral density; IGF-1; Hand grip strength

MeSH Terms

Adipose Tissue*
Aged
Bone Density*
Bone Marrow
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Cholesterol, LDL
Female
Femur
Growth Hormone
Hand Strength*
Hand*
Human Growth Hormone*
Humans*
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I*
Osteocalcin
Osteoporosis
Spine
Triglycerides
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, HDL
Cholesterol, LDL
Growth Hormone
Human Growth Hormone
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
Osteocalcin