The aim of this study was to assess the effects of replacement with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in patients with
GH deficiency (GHD) after treatment of acromegaly. Intervention study. Sixteen patients (8 men, age 56 years), treated for
acromegaly by surgery and radiotherapy, with an insufficient GH response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia, were treated with
1 year of rhGH replacement. Study parameters were assessed at baseline and after 1 year of rhGH replacement. Study parameters
were cardiac function, body composition, bone mineral density (BMD), fasting lipids, glucose, bone turnover markers, and Quality
of Life (QoL). During rhGH replacement IGF-I concentrations increased from −0.4 ± 0.7 to 1.0 ± 1.5 SD (
P = 0.001), with a mean daily dose of 0.2 ± 0.1 mg in men and 0.3 ± 0.2 mg in women. Nonetheless, rhGH replacement did not
alter cardiac function, lipid and glucose concentrations, body composition or QoL. Bone turnover markers (PINP and
β crosslaps) levels increased (
P = 0.005 and
P = 0.021, respectively), paralleled by a small, but significant decrease in BMD of the hip. The beneficial effects of rhGH
replacement in patients with GHD during cure from acromegaly are limited in this study.
Keywords Growth hormone deficiency - Growth hormone replacement - Acromegaly