CARDIOVASCULAR
EFFECTS OF GROWTH HORMONE TREATMENT IN GROWTH HORMONE – DEFICIENT CHILDREN
Bossowski A., Urban M., Gardziejczyk M.
2nd Department of Children’s
Diseases, Medical Academy, Białystok, Poland
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible cardiac and vascular
alterations induced by growth hormone treatment in GH – deficient children.
Methods:
The group of children consisted of long and short – term GH treated
patients. They were evaluated after 14,4 ± 8,6 months of
treatment with GH 16,4 ± 6,1 I.U./m2/week
(n=15) and after 51±15,3 months with GH 16,7 ±
8,7 I.U./m2/week (n=8). Investigations included M-mode, 2D and
Doppler – echocardiography to determine full cardiovascular performance
(Hewlett-Packard 4500).
Results: In a short – term treated
group we found statistically different body weight, lower dimension of the
pulmonary artery (PA), higher peak velocity in PA (VP) and statistically
higher peak velocity of pulmonary venous flow (PVF) during ventricular
systole (S) in compared to the controls. In children evaluated after a long time of
treatment we found no differences in weight between GH – treated group and
controls. We found statistically lower IVRT, A/E ratio (peak velocity
during atrial systole (A) / peak velocity of the early filling (E) –
measured from the mitral flow) and statistically higher peak velocity of
PVF during ventricular systole (S) in comparison to the controls. Left
ventricle mass (LVM), as well as ejection fraction was higher than in short
– term GH treated children, but not statistically signifficant.
Conclusion: Short – term GH treatment in
children with GH deficiency does not cause important changes to the heart.
Long term treatment can increase systolic function and probably can cause
improvement of left ventricular diastolic function.