Cardiovascular Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment: Potential Risks and Benefits

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I are involved in heart development and in maintaining cardiac structure and performance. Cardiovascular disease has been reported to reduce life expectancy both in GH deficiency (GHD) and in GH excess. Patients with GHD suffer from abnormalities of left ventricular performance, i.e. reduced diastolic filling and impaired response to peak exercise. Patients with GHD also have increased intima-media thickness at the common carotid arteries, associated with a higher occurrence of atherosclerotic plaques, which may further aggravate the haemodynamic conditions. This may contribute to increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk. These cardiovascular abnormalities can be reversed, at least partially, with GH replacement therapy. In recent years, GH therapy has been used to increase cardiac mass in ischaemic or dilated cardiomyopathy, but the results have produced contradictory data.

Related collections

Most cited references 53

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Superoxide anion is involved in the breakdown of endothelium-derived vascular relaxing factor.

R Gryglewski, R M Palmer, S Moncada (1986)

Endothelium-derived vascular relaxing factor (EDRF) is a humoral agent that is released by vascular endothelium and mediates vasodilator responses induced by various substances including acetylcholine and bradykinin. EDRF is very unstable, with a half-life of between 6 and 50 s, and is clearly distinguishable from prostacyclin. The chemical structure of EDRF is unknown but it has been suggested that it is either a hydroperoxy- or free radical-derivative of arachidonic acid or an unstable aldehyde, ketone or lactone. We have examined the role of superoxide anion (O-2) in the inactivation of EDRF released from vascular endothelial cells cultured on microcarrier beads and bioassayed using a cascade of superfused aortic smooth muscle strips. With this system, we have now demonstrated that EDRF is protected from breakdown by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Cu2+, but not by catalase, and is inactivated by Fe2+. These findings indicate that O-2 contributes significantly to the instability of EDRF.

0 comments Cited 197 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Factors influencing mortality in acromegaly.

I Holdaway, C. Rajasoorya, G Gamble (2004)

Studies of acromegaly have shown a doubling of mortality compared with the general population. With the development of new modalities of treatment, it has become important to identify prognostic factors relating to mortality. Between 1964 and 2000, 208 acromegalic patients were followed for a mean of 13 yr at Auckland Hospital. Treatment was by surgery or radionuclide pituitary implantation, and all except 27 patients received pituitary radiation. Over the duration of the study, 72 patients died at a mean age of 61 +/- 12.8 yr. Those dying were significantly older at diagnosis, had a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, and were more likely to have hypopituitarism. The observed to expected mortality ratio (O/E ratio) fell from 2.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.9-3.6) in those with last follow-up GH greater than 5 microg/liter to 2.5 (1.6-3.8), 1.6 (0.9-3), and 1.1 (0.5-2.1) for those with GH less than 5, less than 2, and less than 1 microg/liter, respectively (P < 0.001). Serum IGF-I, expressed as an SD score, was significantly associated with mortality, with O/E mortality ratios of 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 2.8-4.2) for those with an SD score greater than 2, 1.6 (0.6-2.6) for those with an SD score less than 2 (normal or low levels), and 1.0 (0.1-3) for those with an SD score less than zero. When assessed by multivariate analysis, last serum GH (P < 0.001), age, duration of symptoms before diagnosis (P < 0.03), and hypertension (P < 0.04) were independent predictors of survival. If IGF-I was substituted for GH, then survival was independently related to last IGF-I SD score (P < 0.02), indicating that GH and IGF-I act equivalently as predictors of mortality. These findings indicate that reduction of GH to less than 1 microg/liter or normalization of serum IGF-I reduces mortality to expected levels.

0 comments Cited 145 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: not found
Article: not found

Association between premature mortality and hypopituitarism

JW Tomlinson, N Holden, RK Hills … (2001)

0 comments Cited 95 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

All references

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): HRE

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Horm Res Paediatr

Journal ID (doi): 10.1159/issn.1663-2818

Title: Hormone Research in Paediatrics

Publisher: S. Karger AG

ISBN: 978-3-8055-7833-2

ISBN: 978-3-318-01154-8

ISSN (Print): 1663-2818

ISSN (Electronic): 1663-2826

Publication date Subscription-year: 2004

Publication date (Print): October 2004

Publication date (Electronic): 17 November 2004

Volume: 62

Issue: Suppl 3

Pages: 42-50

Affiliations

Department of Molecular and Clinical Endocrinology and Oncology, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy

Article

Publisher ID: 80498 Other ID: Horm Res 2004;62(suppl 3):42–50

DOI: 10.1159/000080498

PubMed ID: 15539798

SO-VID: 13fb813a-4b26-4302-ae9e-dbd1eaf75a12

License:

Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug. Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.

Cardiovascular Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment: Potential Risks and Benefits

Read this article at

Abstract

Related collections

Karger: Endocrinology

Most cited references 53

Superoxide anion is involved in the breakdown of endothelium-derived vascular relaxing factor.

Factors influencing mortality in acromegaly.

Association between premature mortality and hypopituitarism

Author and article information

Journal

Affiliations

Article

History

Page count

Categories

Comments

Comment on this article

Similar content 219

Cited by 2

Most referenced authors 809