Authors: I Meineri O Andreani R Sanna A Aglialoro G Bottino Massimo Giusti
Publish Date: 2014/03/29
Volume: 21, Issue: 7, Pages: 423-427
Abstract
An impairment of the pulmonary function has been described in adult patients with childhoodonset growth hormone deficiency GHD We examined forced vital capacity FVC forced expiratory volume FEV1 total lung capacity TLC functional residual capacity FRC residual volume VR and the index of inspiratory strength middle tidal volume and tidal inspiratory time ratio TV/I in 29 patients with adultonset GHD Data were compared with those obtained in 46 healthy control subjects Only the FEV1/FVC ratio was statistically different p=004 between the two groups of subjects In a group of 15 GHD patients low dosages 051 IU/day sc bedtime of recombinant human GH rhGH n=8 subjects or placebo n=7 were given at random for a 6month period A significant increase in IGFI levels was noted in the rhGHtreated group p=004 but not in the placebo group After the 6month period no statistically significant changes in pulmonary function were found between the rhGHtreated and placebotreated GHD patients This study shows that adultonset GHD patients suffer from minimal impairment of pulmonary function Low rhGH dosages able to induce an increase in IGFI levels do not improve pulmunary function The effect of rhGH on respiratory muscle strength could be related to the age at which GHD diagnosis is made or induced only by high rhGH dosages given for a long time
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