Body changes in adolescent patients with growth hormone receptor deficiency receiving recombinant human insulin‐like growth factor I and luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone analogue: preliminary results

Auxological and body composition changes were studied in three adolescent patients (2 female, 1 male) with growth hormone receptor deficiency (GHRD) given insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I), 120 μg/kg s.c. twice daily, plus a monthly intramuscular injection of 7.5 mg of a luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone (LHRH) analogue. Preliminary results from the first 12 months of the study show that height velocity was increased compared with the pretreatment values. This increase was probably due to the IGF‐I therapy, as the LHRH analogue would have suppressed gonadotrophins and gonadal steroid production. There was a reduction in percentage body fat, and increases in lean mass and the leamfat ratio, whole body mineral content and body calcium content, even when expressed per kg body weight. There was also a trend towards increased bone mineral density of the whole skeleton, lumbar spine and femoral structures, as well as a maturation of facial features. These preliminary results indicate that concomitant therapy with IGF‐I and an LHRH analogue is safe and efficacious in inducing growth without advancing bone age in patients with GHRD.