Lipid Profiles after Discontinuation of Growth Hormone Treatment in Adults with Childhood-onset Hypopituitarism

Yang, In Suk; Jung, Min Ho; Suh, Byung Kyu; Lee, Byung Churl

Abstract

PURPOSE: The need for continuing Growth Hormone(GH) replacement after adolescence in patients with childhood-onset GH deficiency has been recognized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the abnormalities of lipid profiles in young adults with childhood-onset hypopituitarism who discontinued GH therapy after the completion of height growth.
METHODS
Nine male patients(mean age:22.4+/-3.3 years) with childhood-onset hypopituiatarism in whom GH treatment had been discontinued after final height was achieved were included. Their body mass index(BMI) and serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride(TG), high-density lipoprotein(HDL) cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein(LDL) cholesterol were measured. The relationships of duration after GH discontinuation, age, and BMI to lipid profiles were anaylzed.
RESULTS
BMI increased significantly from 21.8+/-1.9 kg/m2 before GH discontinuation to 23.0+/-3.0 kg/m2 after GH discontinuation(P<0.05). Serum levels of total cholesterol, TG, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol were 217.3+/-33.4, 237.8+/-128.2, 42.1+/-7.1, and 127.4+/-27.2 mg/dL, respectively, 3.1+/-2.0 years after GH discontinuation. Percentage of patients who had total cholesterol > or = 200 mg/dL, TG > or = 150 mg/ dL, LDL cholesterol > or = 140 mg/dL, and HDL cholesterol < or = 40 mg/dL were 77.8%, 88.9%, 44.4%, and 33.3%, respectively. All subjects had some abnormalities of lipid profiles. A significant positive correlation was found between duration after GH discontinuation and serum levels of total cholesterol and TG(r=0.84, P<0.01; r=0.83, P<0.01). A significant positive correlation was also found between age and serum levels of total cholesterol and TG(r=0.86, P<0.01; r=0.81, P<0.01). There were no correlations between BMI and serum lipid levels.
CONCLUSION
Most of young adult patients with childhood-onset hypopituitarism had abnormal lipid profiles by 1-5 years after discontinuation of GH treatment. These data suggest that continuous GH treatment after completion of height growth is necessary.