Endocrine Abstracts

Patients with hypopitutarism have higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates than general population, as manifested by elevated fasting lipids and insulin resistance. The aim of our study was to evaluate the lipid levels and insulin responses during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in adult onset growth hormone deficiency (AO-GHD), without growth hormone replacement during a follow-up period of seven years. Ten hypopituitary patients with operated non-functioning pituitary adenoma were investigated (5 female/5 male, mean age: 42.5±4.2 years; duration of hypopitutarism 14.3±2.5 years). Mean BMI at the beginning of the study was 27.9±1.7 kg/m², while after seven years-follow-up period was 28.6±1.1 kg/m², P>0.05). At baseline, cholesterol, triglyceride and HbA1c levels were measured and OGTT was performed. Mean peak, delta and areas under the curve (AUC) of glucose and insulin levels during OGTT were analyzed. The mean cholesterol level (6.1±0.5 mmol/l) and mean triglyceride level (1.8±0.3 mmol/l) did not change after seven years of follow-up (6.7±0.6 mmol/l and 1.8±0.3 mmol/l, respectively, P>0.05). The mean delta glucose level (4.1±0.6 mmol/l) and mean AUC glucose level (775±65 mmol/l per 120 min) were significantly higher after seven years of follow-up compared with these values at baseline (2.3±0.5 mmol/l and 605±54 mmol/l per 120 min, respectively, P<0.05). The HbA1c level was significantly higher after seven years of follow-up compared with baseline level (5.8±0.1 vs 5.1±0.1%, P<0.05). There were no differences in insulin responses during OGTT during the follow-up period, compared with baseline (mean delta insulin, 59.2±26.6 vs 70.2±18.5 mU/l, P>0.05; mean AUC insulin, 4763±1610 vs 5965±1271 mU/l per 120 min, P>0.05). In conclusion, AO-GHD have significantly higher HbA1c levels and glucose response during OGTT after seven years of follow-up, possibly due to ageing.