Vitamin D status and response to growth hormone treatment in prepubertal children with growth hormone deficiency

Effect of Vitamin D Combined with Recombinant Human Growth Hormone in Children with Growth Hormone Deficiency

Objective

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) refers to the complete or partial lack of pituitary growth hormone synthesis and secretion. This study is aimed at investigating the efficacy of vitamin D and recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in children with GHD.

Methods

A total of 100 children with GHD at our hospital were included between 1^st January 2018 and 31^st October 2020. The patients were divided into a study group (n = 70, received vitamin D combined with rhGH) and a control group (n = 30, received rhGH). The growth and development (bone age, growth rate, and height), bone metabolism (bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), β-collagen degradation product (β-CTX), osteocalcin (OC), and amino-terminal propeptide type I procollagen (PINP)), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), ghrelin, and adverse reactions in the two groups were measured before and 12 months after treatment.

Results

There were no significant differences in the bone age, growth rate, and height between the two groups before treatment. After 12 months of treatment, the bone age, growth rate, and height of the study group were significantly higher than those of the control group. After 12 months of treatment, the levels of serum BAP, PINP, and OC in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while the levels of β-CTX in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The serum IGF-1 level in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group, while the ghrelin level in the study group was lower. There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups.

Conclusion

Combined rhGH and vitamin D treatment can promote growth and development, improve bone metabolism, and regulate IGF-1 and ghrelin levels.