ECE2017 Eposter Presentations: Pituitary and Neuroendocrinology Growth hormone IGF axis - basic (10 abstracts)
1Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, 3rd Department of Pediatrics, University General Hospital Attikon, Athens, Greece; 2Haemophilia Center Haemostasis and Thrombosis Unit, Aghia Sophia Childrens Hospital, Athens, Greece; 3Biochemistry-Hormonology Department, P and A Kyriakou Childrens Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Background: Increased fibrinogen levels have been reported in prepubertal children and adolescents with growth hormone deficiency (GHD), which were reduced after rhGH treatment. rhGH treatment has also been shown to exert a beneficial effect on the amount of aPAI-1 in children with GHD. Aim of the study was to evaluate whether prepubertal GH deficient (GHD) children showed any impairment in coagulation- and fibrinolysis-related parameters and the effect of GH therapy on these parameters.
Patients and methods: Fifteen prepubertal children (ten girls and five boys) of a mean (S.D.) age of 9.8 (0.4) yrs with GH deficiency were included in this hospital based prospective study. Serum levels of PT, APTT, fibrinogen, VII, VIII, AT, PC, D-dimers, Plg, and PAI-1 were measured before and after 6-12 months of GH treatment.
Results: At baseline all studied parameters were within normal ranges. A significant increase in PT values was noted after a mean (S.D.) interval of 9.3 (0.4) months of treatment: 12.46 (0.2)sec vs 12.1(0.15)sec, P=0.045. A significant decrease in PAI-1 levels (3.04 (0.1) U/ml vs 2.28 (0.3) U/ml, P=0.018) was noted at the same time. No significant changes in the rest of parameters were found during the study period.
Conclusion: GH replacement therapy for 612 months led to a significant increase in PT values, while fibrinogen levels did not change. Moreover, GH treatment reduced PAI-1 levels in GHD children, suggesting a beneficial effect of GH treatment on possible risk of future atherothrombosis. Further evaluation of the clinical significance of these changes is needed.