ESPE Abstracts (2014) 82 P-D-2-3-444

aDepartment of Pediatrics, Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland; bScientific Society of Medical Students, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland


Background: Severe GH deficiency (GHD) is associated with significant body composition abnormalities. However there is no data assessing initial body composition parameters in the children with partial GHD.

Objective and hypotheses: Study objective was initial body composition assessment in the short stature children diagnosed for GHD.

Method: 54 consecutively diagnosed for GHD short statured children (40 boys) in the mean age 10.83±2.6 years, were included into the study. The auxological data (height SDS, BMI SDS, and waist/height ratio (WHtR)) laboratory test (GH and IGF1 levels) and body composition (fat tissue (FAT%) and fat-free mass (FFM%)) based on bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) were evaluated.

Results: Finally in 22 children partial GHD (peak GH >3 and <10 ng/ml in the night profile and two stimulation tests) was diagnosed. Children with partial GHD had significantly higher (P<0.05) WHtR than normal GH group (0.47 vs 0.44 respectively). BMI SDS and FAT% were insignificantly higher in partial GHD group and FFM% insignificantly lower vs normal GH children. WHtR was significantly related to the body composition (r=−0.667; P<0.01 vs FAT% and r=0.658; P<0.01 vs FFM%) in the whole short statured children. Moreover, peak GH level assessed in the night profile, correlated significantly with body composition parameters in all studied children (r=−0.317; P<0.01 vs FAT% and r=0.319; P<0.01 vs FFM%) even after the adjustment to age.

Conclusion: i) Body composition assessed by BIA was no significantly impaired in children with partial GHD. ii) However significant difference in the central adiposity (assessed by WHtR) was revealed in the partial GHD children. iii) Body composition in short statured children was significantly related to the GH releasing in the night profile.

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