Aim: The focus of this study was to evaluate the metabolic profile of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) patients treated with growth hormone.
Patients and methods: Seven patients (four boys and three girls) with ages between six years and six months and 14 years and 11 months were treated with GH 0.1 U/kg/day subcutaneous by six times a week, for two years. Anthropometric data, lipids, glucose, IGF-I and body composition were evaluated at baseline and after 12 and 24 months.
Results: IGF-I levels increased in all cases. Skin folds decreased. The mean reduction in body fat was 5.0% and the mean increased in lean mass was 7.6 kg in the prepubertal patients. The pubescent girl increased 4.8 kg and showed a 5.6% decrease in fat mass. A mean gain in the bone mass was 0.07 g/cm(2) (7.3%) in prepubescent cases, and 0.02 g/cm(2) (2.0%) in the pubescent girl.
Conclusion: In our study GH treatment improved lean body and bone masses and had beneficial effect on lipid values.