Clinical and metabolic impact of three-times-weekly versus daily growth hormone (GH) treatment in naïve GH-deficient children

OBJECTIVE: Growth hormone treatment (GHT) is commonly administered daily, although pulsatile GH secretion is unlikely to be achieved. The auxological effect of a three-injections-per-week (TIW) regimen is controversial, while the metabolic effects have been never evaluated in children. The objective was to evaluate whether two different regimens of weekly injections could lead to similar auxological and metabolic effects in children with GH deficiency (GHD). DESIGN: 32 GHD children (25 males, mean age 10.5 ± 2.2 yr) were randomly assigned to receive daily (group A, No 16) or TIW (group B, No 16) GHT for 12 months. METHODS: Auxological parameters, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), glucose and insulin during OGTT, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), lipid profile, the oral disposition index (DIo), the homeostasis model assessment estimate of insulin resistance (Homa-IR) and the insulin sensitivity index (ISI). RESULTS: After 12 months, both groups showed a significant and comparable improvement in height (p<0.001) and IGF-I (p<0.001). As regards the metabolic parameters, in both groups we found a significant increase in fasting insulin (p<0.001 and p=0.026) and Homa-IR (p<0.001 and p=0.019). A significant increase in fasting glucose (p=0.001) and a decrease in ISI (p<0.001) and DIo (p=0.002) were only found in group A. CONCLUSIONS: The TIW regimen is effective and comparable with the daily regimen in improving auxological parameters and has a more favorable metabolic impact in GHD children