PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H de Boer

Publications and source records attributed to H de Boer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Cognitive impairments and mood disturbances in growth hormone deficient men.

In order to establish whether reported psychological complaints in hypopituitary adults are related to growth hormone (GH) deficiency or other pituitary hormone deficiencies, emotional well-being and cognitive performance were evaluated in 31 men with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD) and in 17 men with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD). Assessments included evaluation of somatic and psychological complaints, depression, fatigue, vigor, tension, state and trait anxiety, iconic memory, short-term memory, long-term memory and perceptual-motor skill. The control group consisted of 41 healthy men, matched for age. Growth hormone secretion was more severely impaired in MPHD than in IGHD patients. Despite oral replacement therapy, MPHD patients also had lower serum testosterone levels than IGHD subjects. The MPHD patients were found to have lower vigor scores, higher state anxiety scores, worse perceptual-motor skill and worse memory performance than controls. In contrast, IGHD patients only showed subnormal memory performance. It was concluded, therefore, that the cognitive impairment in both MPHD and IGHD was related to GH deficiency. The subnormal vigor scores in MPHD patients were attributed to the reduced testosterone levels. The worse perceptual-motor skill in MPHD patients might be related specifically to ACTH deficiency. Finally, the higher state anxiety in MPHD was attributed to a low self-esteem, which may be the psychological consequence of the hypogonadal appearance these patients have. We conclude that, from a psychological point of view, MPHD and IGHD adult patients are quite distinct groups.

Adolescent↗

Histomorphometric analysis of bone mass and bone metabolism in growth hormone deficient adult men.

Transiliac bone biopsies were obtained from 36 growth hormone (GH) deficient men (mean age +/- SD, 28 +/- 4 years), of which 13 had an isolated GH deficiency and 23 had partial or complete hypopituitarism. The latter group was adequately substituted for the pituitary hormone deficiencies other than GH. Static histomorphometry was compared with eight controls, and dynamic histomorphometry was compared with six healthy men matched for age. Mean trabecular bone volume was not decreased and bone volume was high (> 30%) in ten patients. Osteoid thickness and mineralization lag time were slightly although not significantly higher than in controls. Osteoid surface, mineralizing surface and bone formation rate tended to be lower than in the controls. The eroded surface was significantly higher (p < 0.002) in the GH deficient patients. The results demonstrate that GH deficient patients do not show trabecular osteoporosis. The increased eroded surface together with normal to increased bone volume and bone surface suggests a prolonged reversal phase or a less sufficient coupling phenomenon.

Adult↗

Thrombin regulation by physiological inhibitors: the role of vitronectin.

The generation of thrombin and its various activities have to be tightly controlled in the circulation as well as at extracellular sites to prevent pathological situations. Both vessel wall-associated thrombomodulin and circulating serine protease inhibitors meet the requirements for regulation of thrombin function. The final products of thrombin inhibition are ternary complexes together with the adhesion protein vitronectin. Due to a conformational switch in the vitronectin molecule, ternary complexes are endowed with heparin-binding properties and become specifically bound to cell surface sites on endothelial and other cells. This interaction appears to be responsible for the clearance and translocation of ternary complexes in the vasculature and at other sites. In addition, ternary complexes may provoke other cellular activities by binding to nonintegrin cell surface receptors. Along the vasculature, extracellular-associated vitronectin serves as a binding and stabilizing cofactor for plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, which thereby becomes a slow-reacting thrombin inhibitor. It is believed that clot-associated vitronectin-PAI-1 complex not only stabilizes initial thrombus formation, but is also responsible for thrombin neutralization and the necessary switch towards fibrinolysis. Vitronectin thereby becomes an integral cofactor for regulation and control of thrombin multifunctional activities.

Animals↗

Monitoring of growth hormone replacement therapy in adults, based on measurement of serum markers.

The optimal dose for GH replacement therapy in GH-deficient (GHD) adults is not known, nor is there a consensus as to which method is the most appropriate for the monitoring of treatment. To establish a general guideline for GH replacement therapy in adults, we evaluated the relationship between the administered GH dose and the achieved serum levels of three GH-dependent serum markers. Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and the acid-labile subunit (ALS) were measured in 46 GHD men participating in a 1-yr, double blind, and placebo-controlled dose-response study. The doses of recombinant human GH ranged from 0.33-3.0 IU/m(2)-day. During GH treatment, dose reduction was necessary because of side-effects in 18 of 46 patients, i.e. in 18% of the patients receiving a maintenance dose of 1 IU/M(2)-day, in 35% of the patients receiving a dose of 2 IU/m(2)-day, and in 67% of the patients receiving a dose of 3 IU/M(2)-day. In the untreated state, serum levels of all three markers were below the normal range in 90% of the patients. The rise in serum marker concentrations during the first month of treatment was dose dependent. Significant increases in IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and ALS levels were observed with a dose as low as 0.33 IU/M(2)-day. The minimal GH dose required for normalization of the serum IGF-I concentration was 0.66 IU/M(2)-day, and it was 1.0 IU/M(2)-day for ALS and IGFBP-3. In patients receiving 2.0 IU/M(2)-day, the mean serum IGF-I concentration rose to an abnormally high level, whereas at this dose, the mean IGFBP-3 and ALS levels were not different from normal. The lower sensitivity of IGFBP-3 and ALS to GH doses in the high range was also apparent during long term treatment. The number of patients who developed IGFBP-3 or ALS levels that exceeded the upper normal limit was substantially smaller than the number of patients with elevated IGF-I concentrations (2, 8, and 19 of 46 patients, respectively). In conclusion, serum IGF-I appears to be the preferred biochemical marker for the detection of GH excess in adults receiving GH replacement therapy, because it is more sensitive than IGFBP-3 and ALS to GH doses in the high range. If normalization of the serum IGF-I concentration is taken as the criterion for optimal GH replacement therapy, the predicted optimal GH dose for GHD men 20 - 40 yr old is 1.4 IU/M(2)-day, and the 95% confidence interval is 1.2-1.6 IU/M(2)-day.

Adult↗

Changes in subcutaneous and visceral fat mass during growth hormone replacement therapy in adult men.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the degree of subcutaneous and intraabdominal fat accumulation in growth hormone (GH) deficient adult men, and to evaluate the lipolytic effects of GH replacement therapy. DESIGN: Placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-response study. All patients, including those initially starting on placebo, received GH for a period of one year. SUBJECTS: 46 adult men (mean age 28.0 +/- 4.5 y) with childhood-onset GH deficiency (GHD). MEASUREMENTS: Subcutaneous fat mass and fat distribution was assessed by measurement of skinfold thicknesses at seven different sites. Intraabdominal fat mass was assessed by computerized tomography (CT). Reference values were obtained from age- and sex-matched controls with a normal body mass index. RESULTS: The sum of skinfolds (SKFs) was 75% (95% CI: 52-98%) higher, and intraabdominal fat area was 84% (95% CI: 45-122%) greater in GHD patients than in age- and sex-matched controls. Patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD, n = 30), who were all receiving conventional hormone replacement therapy, were more obese than patients with isolated GHD (IGHD, n = 16). This difference was attributed to a more severe impairment in GH secretion, as well as to the lower androgen levels in patients with MPHD. GH treatment was associated with a gradual decline in subcutaneous fat that continued for approximately six months. Thereafter, a new steady-state was reached. The GH-induced decline in subcutaneous and intraabdominal fat was dose-dependent (r = 0.84, p < 0.001 and r = 0.52, p < 0.001, respectively). The efficacy of GH treatment was similar to IGHD and MPHD patients. Optimal GH replacement, defined as treatment resulting in normalization of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentration, was achieved in 25 patients. In this subgroup the sum of SKFs decreased by 27% (95% CI: 22-32%) and intraabdominal fat was reduced by 47% (95% CI: 38-57%). CONCLUSION: We conclude that subcutaneous as well as intraabdominal fat mass are abnormally high in GHD men, and that GH treatment with doses within the physiological range profoundly reduces the sizes of both fat compartments. In addition, GH replacement therapy was found to be equally effective in men with IGHD as in those with MPHD.

Adipose Tissue↗

Effects of human growth hormone in critically ill nonseptic patients: results from a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of growth hormone administration on insulin-like growth factor I concentration, nitrogen balance, and fuel utilization, and to study its safety in critically ill nonseptic patients. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: Medical intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Eighteen critically ill nonseptic patients were studied for 8 days after admission. INTERVENTIONS: Growth hormone (0.1 mg/kg/day) or placebo was administered as a continuous intravenous infusion on the second, third, and fourth days after admission. The study period was 8 days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Plasma hormone concentrations were measured every 6 hrs and average daily values were calculated. The 24-hr urinary nitrogen and 3-methylhistidine excretion were measured. Indirect calorimetry was used to calculate fuel utilization. Insulin-like growth factor I concentrations increased in the treatment group from subnormal to normal values and remained increased despite discontinuation of growth hormone treatment (p = .02). Nitrogen balance differed between the groups upon admission: growth hormone group (3.9 +/- 4.1 g/day) vs. controls (13.8 +/- 5.4 g/day), but improved with growth hormone. This finding appeared independent of the imbalance between the groups. The 3-methylhistidine excretion was not different between the groups and did not change during growth hormone administration. Free fatty acids and glycerol concentrations increased during growth hormone treatment, but calculated fuel utilization did not change. During growth hormone treatment, insulin concentrations increased, due to the increased administration of insulin necessary for glycemic control. Side effects other than hyperglycemia were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Growth hormone administration in a heterogeneous group of critically ill nonseptic patients resulted in normalization of insulin-like growth factor I levels, even after cessation of growth hormone treatment. Nitrogen balance improved, but this change was transient. Hence, growth hormone affects nitrogen balance, probably partly independent of insulin-like growth factor I.

Blood Glucose↗

The optimal growth hormone replacement dose in adults, derived from bioimpedance analysis.

The prevalence of clinical signs and symptoms related to fluid retention is high in most studies evaluating the efficacy of GH treatment in GH-deficient (GHD) adults. This may be a consequence of supraphysiological GH replacement. To examine whether fluid retention is a dose-related phenomenon, we evaluated the impact of various GH substitution doses on body fluid status in 46 GHD men participating in a 1-yr, double blind, and placebo-controlled study. The patients were randomized to receive either placebo (n = 13) or GH in a dose of 1 (n = 11), 2 (n = 10), or 3 (n = 12) IU/m2.day, respectively. Treatment was started at one third of the predetermined dose and was subsequently increased by another third every month until the maintenance dose was reached. Tissue hydration was assessed by means of electrical impedance measurements. Normal values were obtained from 128 age- and sex-matched controls. In the untreated GHD state, whole body resistance was abnormally high (observed, 642 +/- 82 omega; predicted, 550 +/- 31 omega; P < 0.001). This was mainly caused by an increase in specific resistance of the lean body as a consequence of a reduction in extracellular water (ECW). The first month of GH treatment was associated with a sharp decline in electrical resistance that was attributed to an increase in ECW. Whole body resistance reached its nadir after 3 months of treatment (517 +/- 72 omega, i.e. 19.6 +/- 6.5% lower than before treatment; P < 0.001) and did not change significantly thereafter. The GH-induced changes in body resistance were dose dependent. A significant decrease was observed with a dose as low as 0.33 IU/m2.day (P < 0.005). However, whole body resistance remained higher than normal in patients receiving less than 0.67 IU/m2.day (P = 0.05). Abnormally low resistance values, indicative of overhydration, were observed in patients receiving doses equal to or higher than 2 IU/m2.day (P < 0.005). Regression analysis of the pooled data showed that GH replacement in a dose of 1.10 IU/m2.day (95% confidence interval, 0.85-1.45 IU/m2.day) resulted in a normalization of whole body resistance. In conclusion, GH replacement therapy in adults rapidly corrects the preexisting deficit in ECW. This rehydration process is dose dependent and may result in a substantial weight gain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗

Consequences of childhood-onset growth hormone deficiency for adult bone mass.

To assess the implications of prolonged growth hormone deficiency (GHD) for the acquisition and maintenance of bone mass, bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 70 adult males (mean age 26.7 +/- 4.5 years) with childhood-onset GHD, 7.4 +/- 4.2 years after discontinuation of previous GH therapy. Because most of these patients were short (mean height 165.8 +/- 6.6 cm), the influence of body height on standard BMD measurements, conventionally reported as the areal density (BMDarea, expressed in g/cm2), was analyzed in a group of age-matched healthy males. In GHD patients, BMDarea was significantly reduced at the lumbar spine (Z score -1.59 +/- 1.08, p < 0.001) as well as at the nondominant hip (Z score -1.18 +/- 0.95, p < 0.001). The reduction in BMDarea was similar for patients with isolated GHD (N = 25) and those with combined deficiencies of GH and luteinizing hormone (N = 40). In patients and controls, BMDarea was positively correlated with body height, a relation that was attributed to skeletal size. Bone dimensions were significantly smaller in patients than in controls, and therefore it was hypothesized that the difference in areal density between patients and controls might be confounded by differences in bone size. Measured bone mineral content corrected for the estimated bone volume (BMDvolume, expressed in g/cm3) remained significantly reduced (Z score: lumbar spine, -0.90 +/- 1.08, p < 0.001; femoral neck, -0.74 +/- 1.00, p < 0.001), but the differences between GHD patients and controls were less than indicated by BMDarea (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Serum lipid levels in growth hormone-deficient men.

To evaluate the impact of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) on lipid metabolism, serum lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations were measured in 64 GHD adult males (mean age, 27.1 +/- 4.7 years). Results were compared with those obtained from an age- and sex-matched control group. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and apolipoprotein (apo) B levels were significantly higher in GHD patients (P < .001). In 14 patients (23%), total cholesterol concentration exceeded the 95th percentile for healthy adults. Total and LDL cholesterol were inversely related to plasma insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Apo B also tended to be negatively correlated with IGF-I; however, statistical significance was not reached (P = .054). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and plasma triglyceride concentrations were within normal limits, whereas apo A-1 and A-2 levels were only slightly different from normal. We conclude that GHD in adulthood is associated with mild hypercholesterolemia due to an increased LDL cholesterol level. An inverse relationship was established between LDL cholesterol concentration and GH secretory status.

Adolescent↗

Effects of human growth hormone on fuel utilization and mineral balance in critically ill patients on full intravenous nutritional support.

PURPOSE: The effects of recombinant human growth hormone (GH) on fuel utilization, mineral and fluid balance in critically ill patients were studied. METHODS: Twenty patients requiring mechanical ventilation and receiving standard parenteral nutrition were studied. GH 0.1 mg/kg/day (n = 10) or placebo (n = 10) was administered as continuous intravenous infusion for 3 days. Plasma mineral levels, urinary nitrogen, and mineral excretion were measured. Indirect calorimetry was used to calculate energy production rate and fuel utilization. RESULTS: Insulin-like growth factor I concentrations increased: day 4 GH, 18.9 +/- 7.0 ng/mL; controls 11.6 +/- 3.2 ng/mL (P < .05). During GH administration, the nitrogen balance became zero, whereas it remained negative in controls (P = .03). Fuel utilization did not differ between the groups. Neither did oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, or the respiratory quotient (RQ). Nonprotein RQ showed a tendency to decrease in the GH group, whereas an increase was present in controls. Mineral balance improved in both groups. Phosphate balance improved by 250% in the GH group (P = .054). CONCLUSIONS: GH administration in critically ill patients reduces nitrogen loss and improves phosphate retention but does not have an important effect on fuel utilization.

APACHE↗

Time course and variability of the endocrine and metabolic response to severe sepsis.

BACKGROUND: In trauma patients a specific pattern of the hormone endocrine response to injury has been described. Conflicting data exist regarding the hormonal changes during sepsis. We studied the time course and variability of the hormonal and metabolic responses to severe sepsis in twelve medical patients. METHODS: Hormone levels were measured every 6 hours. Urinary nitrogen and 3-methylhistidine excretion were measured daily. Indirect calorimetry was used to calculate energy production rate (EPR). RESULTS: None of the hormones measured showed a time course in individual patients. Growth hormone (1.69 +/- 0.17 ng/ml) and insulin (48 +/- 5 mU/L) values were within normal range. Cortisol value (474 +/- 44 nmol/L) was in the upper normal range. Insulin-like growth factor 1 level (12.5 +/- 5.7 nmol/L) was decreased. Nitrogen balance was negative and did not change during the study period. Neither oxygen consumption (VO2) (318 +/- 20 ml/min), carbon dioxide output (283 +/- 10 ml/min), EPR (2064 +/- 435 kcal/day), nor fuel utilization showed a time course. The variability during the study period compared with values on admission ranged from 20% (insulin-like growth factor 1) to 74% (growth hormone). The variability of calculated fuel utilization ranged from 35% (protein) to 180% (fat). The variability of VO2, carbon dioxide production, and EPR was for less, 8%. CONCLUSIONS: A specific pattern in the endocrine and metabolic responses as observed in trauma patients does not occur in medical patients with severe sepsis. Hormones and calculated fuel utilization show large variations when compared with values on admission. VO2 and EPR vary for less. Nutritional needs in patients with sepsis, therefore, can be calculated on admission and need not be recalculated during the first week after admission.

Adult↗

Pulsatile hormone secretion during severe sepsis: accuracy of different blood sampling regimens.

The metabolic response to sepsis is dependent on the hormonal status. However, reported plasma hormone levels vary widely among studies. The persistence of pulsatile secretion, as occurs normally, may explain the observed variability. To study whether pulsatile hormone secretion persists during sepsis and how it affects assessment of the hormonal status from single measurements, we measured growth hormone (GH), prolactin, cortisol, insulin, and C-peptide at 20-minute intervals for 24 hours in eight consecutive patients with severe sepsis. Twenty-four-hour averages (mean +/- SD) were 3.3 +/- 2.5 ng/mL for GH, 640 +/- 461 nmol/L for cortisol, 18.2 +/- 4.8 mU/L for insulin, and 3.4 +/- 2.9 U/L for C-peptide, at a pulse frequency between 3.3 +/- 2.7 for C-peptide and 10.2 +/- 3.4 for insulin, and an increase of the maximal value in a pulse above the preceding nadir of 131% +/- 13% for cortisol and 376% +/- 386% for GH, as assessed with Cluster analysis. Prolactin levels were below the detection limit in all but one patient, probably due to the administration of dopamine. To determine the accuracy of less frequent blood sampling regimens, we simulated different sampling strategies and compared them with the 24-hour averages. The accuracy of single samples proved inadequate for all hormones. Sampling every 20 minutes for periods of 4, 8, or 12 hours improved accuracy, but intermittent sampling every 1, 2, 4, or 6 hours during a 24-hour period yielded even more accurate results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Effects of recombinant human growth hormone in patients with severe sepsis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and the effect of recombinant exogenous growth hormone (GH) on nitrogen production in patients with severe sepsis. It was designed as a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, and performed in the medical intensive care unit of a university hospital. Twenty patients admitted with septic shock and receiving standard parenteral nutrition served as subjects. Treatment consisted of GH 0.1 mg/kg/day or placebo administered as continuous intravenous infusion on the second, third, and fourth days after admission. The study period was eight days. During GH administration, nitrogen production decreased significantly in the GH group and increased in controls (p < 0.01). Nitrogen balance became slightly positive in the GH group during treatment: 1.2 +/- 6.4 versus controls -3.7 +/- 3.8 g/day (day 3) (p < 0.05). Within 24 hours after cessation of treatment, differences between GH and controls disappeared. 3-Methylhistidine excretion as a measure of absolute muscle breakdown declined during the study period, but did not differ between groups. The levels of insulin, insulinlike growth factor 1, glycerol, free fatty acids, and beta-hydroxybutyrate increased during treatment. Despite continuous intravenous administration, GH levels gradually declined during the 3 treatment days, indicating increased metabolic clearance. Side effects other than insulin resistance were not observed. Growth hormone administration reduces nitrogen production and improves nitrogen balance in patients with severe sepsis. These effects are not sustained after cessation of treatment.

Adult↗

Growth hormone: secretion and administration in catabolic adult patients, with emphasis on the critically ill patient.

Critical illness, surgery and hypocaloric feeding are accompanied by a high rate of total body nitrogen loss. Loss of body protein, occurring despite adequate nutrition, results in increased incidence of infection, poor wound healing, skeletal muscle weakness and increased mortality. Growth hormone (GH) administration together with nutritional support attenuates protein catabolism. This review focuses on normal GH physiology and the administration of GH in adult catabolic patients.

Adult↗

Octreotide treatment in acromegaly: a comparison between pen-treated and pump-treated patients in a cross-over study.

The effect of a schedule of three daily injections of 100 micrograms octreotide (pen treatment) compared with that of a continuous sc infusion of 300 micrograms/24 h on GH and IGF-I suppression, and other GH-dependent parameters was studied in 10 acromegalic patients in a cross-over study. Treatment was administered via a specially designed pen or a pump for 4 weeks. Following a washout period of a further 4 weeks, patients were switched to the other mode of delivery. Mean GH levels decreased from 26.2 +/- 4.7 to 9.9 +/- 3.1 mU/l (p = 0.007) during pen therapy and to 7.7 +/- 2.4 mU/l (p = 0.003) during pump treatment. IGF-I levels decreased from 75.6 +/- 9.5 to 42.0 +/- 9.3 nmol/l (p = 0.003) during pen treatment and to 32.5 +/- 2.5 nmol/l (p = 0.001) during pump treatment. There was a significant difference in IGF-I levels between pen and pump treatments (p = 0.03). In 7 patients the IGF-I levels normalized during pump treatment compared with 3 patients in the pen treatment group. There was no change in the free T4 index levels, but the free T3 index significantly decreased during therapy, without changes in plasma TSH. This study demonstrates that continuous infusion with octreotide results in a better control of GH oversecretion than the intermittent mode of delivery.

Acromegaly↗