Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT3687

Introduction: Adult-onset growth hormone deficiency (AO-GHD) increases mortality, mainly due to cardiovascular complications. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a key mediator of growth hormone (GH) activity, is crucial for cellular growth, metabolism, and vascular homeostasis. IGF-1 deficiency in AO-GHD contributes to endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress (OS), and elevated cardiovascular risk. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) regulates hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure, while OS exacerbates vascular dysfunction via increased asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), which reduces nitric oxide availability. This study evaluates recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy’s impact on ET-1 and ADMA levels in AO-GHD, assessing its potential to reduce OS, improve endothelial function, and lower cardiovascular risk.

Methods: The study included 15 patients diagnosed with AO-GHD who underwent a 12-month course of rhGH therapy. IGF-1, ET-1, ADMA, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total oxidative capacity (TOC) were measured at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Statistical analysis involved repeated-measures ANOVA and post hoc tests with Bonferroni correction.

Results: IGF-1 levels significantly increased at 6 and 12 months (P = 0.0003; P = 0.0001), while ET-1 decreased at 12 months (P = 0.007) and ADMA levels declined at both 6 and 12 months (P = 0.01). TOC decreased at 6 (P = 0.02) and 12 months (P = 0.04), whereas TAC increased at 12 months (P = 0.02). A significant reduction in fat mass was observed at 6 months (P = 0.006), suggesting early improvements in body composition. IGF-1 correlated negatively with TOC (P < 0.006; r = -0.73) and positively with TAC (P < 0.001; r = 0.83). Post hoc tests confirmed significant differences between observation periods.

Conclusions: This study highlights the early therapeutic benefits of personalized rhGH treatment in AO-GHD, demonstrating significant cardiovascular and metabolic improvements within six months. The observed reductions in ET-1, ADMA, and TOC, alongside increases in TAC and IGF-1, suggest a potential reduction in cardiovascular risk and enhanced metabolic homeostasis. These findings support the monitoring of these biomarkers to optimize treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared.