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. 2008 Nov;93(11):4254-60.
doi: 10.1210/jc.2008-1333. Epub 2008 Sep 2.

The effects of central adiposity on growth hormone (GH) response to GH-releasing hormone-arginine stimulation testing in men

Hideo Makimura  1 , Takara Stanley, David Mun, Sung Min You, Steven Grinspoon
Affiliations

The effects of central adiposity on growth hormone (GH) response to GH-releasing hormone-arginine stimulation testing in men

Hideo Makimura et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Nov.

Abstract

Context: The relative contribution of central adiposity vs. weight on GH response to stimulation testing in obesity is not known.

Objective: We aimed to assess the contribution of weight and specific measures of central and peripheral adiposity to GH response to GHRH-arginine testing in lean, overweight, and obese men.

Design: A total of 75 men [mean age, 44.3+/-1.1 yr; body mass index (BMI), 28.8+/-0.7 kg/m2] were investigated. Subjects were classified as lean (BMI<25 kg/m2; n=23), overweight (BMI>or=25 and <30 kg/m2; n=28), or obese (BMI>or=30 kg/m2; n=24). Subjects were also stratified by waist circumference (WC) (<102 cm, n=47; >or=102 cm, n=28). Body composition and regional adiposity were assessed by anthropometrics, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans.

Results: Peak stimulated GH was 36.4+/-5.4, 16.6+/-2.9, and 7.6+/-0.9 microg/liter among lean, overweight, and obese subjects, respectively (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Peak stimulated GH was 26.9+/-3.4 microg/liter among subjects with WC less than 102 cm compared to 7.9+/-0.9 microg/liter among subjects with WC of 102 cm or greater (P<0.0001). Separate multivariate models using anthropometric, DEXA, and CT-derived measures of central adiposity demonstrated strong associations between peak stimulated GH and measures of central adiposity including WC, trunk fat by DEXA, and visceral adiposity by CT, controlling for age, BMI, and more general measures of adiposity. WC was independently associated with peak GH response to GHRH-arginine in a model including age, BMI, and hip circumference. In this model, BMI was no longer significant, and peak GH was reduced 1.02 microg/liter for each 1 cm increase in WC (P=0.02).

Conclusions: GH response to GHRH-arginine testing is reduced in both overweight and obese subjects and negatively associated with indices of central abdominal obesity including WC, trunk fat, and visceral adipose tissue. The use of waist circumference, as a surrogate for central adiposity, adds predictive information to the determination of GH response, independent of BMI.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A, GHRH-arginine stimulation tests in lean (n = 23), overweight (n = 28), and obese (n = 24) subjects. The results are presented as mean ± sem. P < 0.01 in all time points in lean vs. overweight subjects; P < 0.001 in all time points in lean vs. obese subjects; P < 0.05 in all time points except 90 min where P = 0.08 in overweight vs. obese subjects. B, Peak stimulated GH levels from GHRH-arginine stimulation tests in lean (n = 23), overweight (n = 28), and obese (n = 24) subjects. The results are presented as mean ± sem. P = 0.0001 in lean vs. overweight subjects; P < 0.0001 in lean vs. obese subjects; P = 0.0004 in overweight vs. obese subjects. C, Scatter plot for peak stimulated GH levels from the GHRH-arginine stimulation tests in lean (n = 23), overweight (n = 28), and obese (n = 24) subjects. D, GHRH-arginine stimulation tests in subjects with waist circumference less than 102 cm (n = 47) and subjects with waist circumference of 102 cm or greater (n = 28). The results are presented as mean ± sem. All time points are significant by P < 0.01. E, Peak stimulated GH levels from GHRH-arginine stimulation tests in subjects with waist circumference less than 102 cm (n = 47) and subjects with waist circumference of at least 102 cm (n = 28). The results are presented as mean ± sem. P < 0.0001. F, Scatter plot for peak stimulated GH levels from the GHRH-arginine stimulation tests in subjects with waist circumference less than 102 cm (n = 47) and subjects with waist circumference of at least 102 cm (n = 28).
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