The Effect of Growth Hormone on Carbohydrate Metabolism in Turner Syndrome

Shin, Hye Jung; Seo, Jung Ho; Yoon, Ho Young; Kim, Duk Hee

Abstract

PURPOSE
The incidence of glucose intolerance is increased in patients with Turner syndrome. Both noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus are increased. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impaired rate of carbohydrate metabolism in Turner syndrome after growth hormone treatment.
METHODS
We investigated the incidence of carbohydrate intolerance and diabetes mellitus in 94 patients with Turner syndrome with NDDG and WHO criteria. The oral glucose tolerance test was performed in 78 patients. In 12 patients treated with growth hormone, the glucose tolerance test was performed before and after treatment. The insulin tolerance test was done in 20 patients.
RESULTS
Only one patient had random plasma glucose level of more than 200 mg/dl. In results of the glucose tolerance test(n=78), 2 patients had glucose tolerance by NDDG criteria and 7 patients had it by WHO criteria. There was no change in glucose tolerance test results during growth hormone treatment. According to the results of the insulin tolerance test, we couldn't find any difference in insulin resistance between the growth hormone treatment group and the other treatments(oxandrolone, estrogen) group.
CONCLUSION
The impaired rate of carbohydrate metabolism in Turner syndrome was much lower than in other reports. We observed that the impaired rate of carbohydrate metabolism did not increase after growth hormone treatment. However, the long-term effects in patients treated with growth hormone will be elucidated.