Body composition distribution changes after short-term growth hormone treatment in adults with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency: A case‒control study

Objectives The aim of this study is to explore the specificity of baseline indicators in patients with IAGHD and investigate the potential differential therapeutic effects of short-term GH treatment on body composition distribution in IAGHD patients and non-IAGHD with established etiology. Methods Nineteen patients with IAGHD and 26 patients matched by basic data with non-IAGHD of definite etiology were included in this prospective, case–control study. All subjects underwent complete anthropometric and laboratory measurements at baseline and after 6 months of recombinant human GH replacement therapy. Of these patients, 13 IAGHD and 19 non-IAGHD patients underwent a quantitative assessment of body composition using deep learning software. Results Baseline: IAGHD group had higher height (p=0.025), LBM (p=0.009) and total body muscle (p=0.029), and lower WHR (p=0.034) compared to non-IAGHD group. Short-term GH therapy in non-IAGHD patients: Increased total body normal and abnormal attenuation muscle (p=0.035/p=0.009) and reduced IMF volume in upper limbs and abdomen (p=0.050/p=0.040), indicating positive body component redistribution. However, GH therapy resulted in increased weight (p=0.048) and waist circumference (p=0.038), decreased LBM and bilateral upper extremity muscle (p=0.028), and increased total body fat (p=0.046), intra-abdominal fat (p=0.004), torso visceral fat (p=0.038), AVF (p=0.017), and bilateral upper and proximal lower extremity SF volume in IAGHD patients (p=0.015/p=0.038). HOMA-IR in IAGHD patients was significantly correlated with adipose-related parameters. Conclusion There were significant differences in the clinical parameters of IAGHD patients at baseline, and short-term GH replacement therapy appeared to be detrimental to the redistribution of body composition in IAGHD patients.