Growth Hormone and Endothelial Function in Children

The Ohio State University

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 4

Conditions

Panhypopituitarism

Short Stature

Growth Hormone Deficiency

Treatments

Drug: growth hormone

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT00373386

Peds15

Details and patient eligibility

About

Objective: This study is designed to determine whether growth hormone treatment in children 8 to 18 years of age alters function of the lining of the arteries. This may play a role in increasing or decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Methods. Twenty children, for whom growth hormone therapy will be otherwise provided, will be studied before and 3 months after starting growth hormone. Subjects can be on other hormonal replacements but no other medications.

Each study will be done in the fasting state. The blood vessel function will be determined by measuring the change in forearm blood flow before and after blocking flow to the arm for 5 minutes. Blood will be drawn after the test to measure glucose, insulin and fats.

Full description

The purpose of the research is to learn more about how the lining of arteries in the body (called the endothelium) is affected by growth hormone treatment in children and adolescents. Poor function by the blood vessels is associated with increased risk of heart disease or stroke. This research is being done because growth hormone treatment has been shown to make the endothelium work better in adults. Growth hormone treatment may have the same or different effects in children because the dose is larger in children.

Children between 8 and 18 years who are to be started on growth hormone will be eligible to participate. Blood vessel function will be studied before starting growth hormone and 3 months after. This will be done by measuring blood flow to the arm before and after 5 min of stopping blood flow to the arm. The three months of growth hormone will be given free.

Enrollment

9 patients

Sex

All

Ages

8 to 18 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

isolated growth hormone deficiency (peak growth hormone level less than 10 ng/ml in response to arginine-insulin stimulation with cortisol responses and thyroid function tests), panhypopituitarism with appropriate thyroxine (normal free T4 level) and cortisol replacement (8-12 mg/m2/day) and non classic growth hormone deficiency (growth velocity less than 5 cm/year; peak growth hormone >10 ng/ml).

Exclusion criteria