Evaluation of cutaneous modifications in seventy-seven growth hormone-deficient children

Cutaneous parameters such as dermal thickness, stiffness, elasticity, skin surface lipid and hydration were evaluated using noninvasive methods in 77 growth hormone-deficient (GHD) children before replacement therapy and in 7 0 non-GHD children. We showed that in GHD children, dermis was thinner (0.7 0 +/- 0.10 vs. 0.80 +/- 0.10 mm, p < 0.0001 for prepubertal children and 0. 81 <plus/minus> 0.10 vs. 0.94 +/- 0.11 mm, p < 0.0001 for pubertal children ), stiffer (178.5 <plus/minus> 57.3 vs. 113.09 +/- 37 kPa, p < 0.0001 for p repubertal children and 172.5 <plus/minus> 61.7 vs. 117.3 +/- 42.5 kPa for pubertal children, p < 0.001) and less elastic(0.44 <plus/minus> 0.09 vs. 0 .39 +/- 0.06 (nonelasticity index), p < 0.01 for prepubertal children and 0 .39 <plus/minus> 0.05 vs. 0.33 +/- 0.04, p < 0.001 for pubertal children) c ompared to controls. Fourteen GHD children were re-evaluated after 1 year o f GH treatment: dermal thickness and skin stiffness were significantly impr oved (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 respectively) while elasticity was not modifie d. During the same period, 11 controls did not show any significant cutaneo us modification. IGF-1 values, but not IGFBP-3 values, correlated positivel y with dermal thickness in GHD children, before and after 1 year of GH trea tment. To conclude, GHD children exhibited specific cutaneous modifications . In a subset of GHD children, we showed that these modifications were infl uenced by GH treatment. More extensive studies are needed to see if these c hanges correlated with other GH effects. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, B asel.