J Korean Soc Pediatr Endocrinol.  1998 Nov;3(2):184-189.

Cardiac Structure and Function and It's Alterations after Growth Hormone Treatment in Children with Growth Hormone Deficiency

• Song MS
• Chung WY
• Kim CH

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to investigate the status of cardiac structure and function and to assess their alterations after growth hormone(GH) treatment in children with growth hormone deficiency(GHD).
METHODS
Interventricular septal thickness and left ventriclular posterior wall thickness, ejection fraction(EF), fractional shortening(FS), systolic time interval(STI) of left ventricle were measured by two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography in sixteen children with GHD and age, sex matched sixteen children with GH normal short stature as control. The measure were done before GH treatment and at 6 and 12 months of GH treatment, respectively.
RESULTS
1)Left ventricular posterior wall thickness in GHD group was significantly thinner than that of control group(P<0.05). 2)Interventricular septal thickness and left ventricular posterior wall thickness were increased with GH treatment from 10.4+/-1.7mm, 8.1+/-1.8mm before GH treatment to 11.0+/-0.9mm, 8.7+/-0.7mm and 11.2+/-1.7mm, 9.7+/-1.8mm at 6 and 12 months of GH treatment, respectively. The increment of left ventricular posterior wall thickness after 12 months GH treatment revealed statistic significance(P<0.05). 3)There was no significant alterations of EF, FS, STI of left ventricle after GH treatment at 6 months and 12 months, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Left ventricular posterior wall thickness in GHD group was significantly thin compared to that of control group(P<0.05). GH treatment in GHD children for 12 months, resulted statistically significant increase(P<0.05) in posterior wall thickness. There is no evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after GH treatment. But we could not exclude the possibility of these alterations were induced by an increased overall body size and body surface area after GH treatment. To clarify the exact alterations of cardiac structures and function in children with GHD after GH treatment, long term follow-up studies should be necessary.

Keyword

Growth Hormone Deficiency; Heart; Children

MeSH Terms

Body Size
Body Surface Area
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic
Child*
Echocardiography
Follow-Up Studies
Growth Hormone*
Heart
Heart Ventricles
Humans
Growth Hormone