GROWTH-HORMONE BINDING-PROTEIN ACTIVITY IN OBESE CHILDREN

Citation
S. Seminara et al., GROWTH-HORMONE BINDING-PROTEIN ACTIVITY IN OBESE CHILDREN, Journal of endocrinological investigation, 21(7), 1998, pp. 441-444
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Endocrynology & Metabolism
ISSN journal
03914097
Volume
21
Issue
7
Year of publication
1998
Pages
441 - 444
Database
ISI
SICI code
0391-4097(1998)21:7<441:GBAIOC>2.0.ZU;2-T
Abstract
We evaluated growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) activity in a group of obese children (12 boys and 12 girls, age 3.1-14.7 years, BMI 21.1 -33.3, 11 prepubertal and 13 early pubertal) and in 26 age-matched nor mal weight children (14 boys and 12 girls, age 2.1-16.0 years, BMI 14. 2-21.4, 18 prepubertal and 8 early pubertal). All children were of nor mal stature. GHBP activity was significantly higher in the obese (39.1 +/-1.1%) than in the control children (28.3+/-1.0%, p<0.0001). Mean se rum GHBP was not different between boys and girls or between prepubert al and pubertal subjects. A positive correlation was found between BMI and GHBP levels only in the normal weight children (r=0.425, p<0.05). Baseline insulin concentrations in the obese children were 97.6+/-7.9 pmol/l (normal values, 45.0+/-18.6 pmol/l), and the mean insulin AUC following OGTT in the obese was 811.3+/-160.7 pmol/l (normal values, 3 73.1+/-150.1 pmol/l). Serum GHBP activity in the obese was not correla ted with baseline serum insulin concentrations or with the insulin AUC following OGTT. In conclusion, we found that obese children have elev ated GHBP activity, and speculate that this phenomenon may serve to co mpensate for their reduced GH secretion and accelerated GH clearance. (J. Endocrinol. Invest. 21: 441-444, 1998) (C) 1998, Editrice Kurtis.