INCREASED ARTERIAL INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS IN CHILDHOOD-ONSET GROWTH-HORMONE DEFICIENCY

Very little is known about the atherosclerotic risk in patients with c hildhood-onset growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Such data may be relev ant to reconstructing the natural course of the cardiovascular abnorma lities associated with GHD. To this end, the intima-media thickness (I MT) of the carotid arteries and the vascular risk factors were evaluat ed in 14 childhood-onset GHD patients (age 25 +/- 1 yr, BMI 22 +/- 0.6 Kg/m(2)) and in 14 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched control subjects. IMT was greater in GHD patients (0.83 +/- 0.06 and 0.81 +/- 0.06 mmol/L fo r the right and left carotid artery) than in controls (0.64 +/- 0.03 a nd 0.64 +/- 0.04 mmol/L, P < 0.01 and P < 0.02, respectively). Serum t otal and lipoprotein cholesterol, and serum total triglycerides did no t differ between the two groups. However, a significant increase in lo w density Lipid triglycerides was present in GHD patients (0.27 +/- 0. 02 mmol/L) compared with controls (0.19 +/- 0.01; P = 0.007). No diffe rence was found in plasma fibrinogen and serum Lp(a) levels. Plasma gl ucose and insulin concentrations were similar in GHD and control subje cts both in the fasted state and after an oral glucose load. In conclu sion, young patients with childhood-onset GHD show an increased IMT in the absence of clear-cut abnormalities of the classic vascular risk f actors. This suggests a role for GH deficiency per se in increasing th e atherosclerotic risk.