Health-Related Quality of Life of Young Adults Treated with Recombinant Human Growth Hormone during Childhood.

BACKGROUND Since recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) became available in 1985, the spectrum of indications has broadened and the number of treated patients increased. However, long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after childhood rhGH treatment has rarely been documented. We assessed HRQoL and its determinants in young adults treated with rhGH during childhood. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS For this study, we retrospectively identified former rhGH patients in 11 centers of paediatric endocrinology, including university hospitals and private practices. We sent a questionnaire to all patients treated with rhGH for any diagnosis, who were older than 18 years, and who resided in Switzerland at time of the survey. Three hundred participants (58% of 514 eligible) returned the questionnaire. Mean age was 23 years; 56% were women; 43% had isolated growth hormone deficiency, or idiopathic short stature; 43% had associated diseases or syndromes, and 14% had growth hormone deficiency after childhood cancer. Swiss siblings of childhood cancer survivors and the German norm population served as comparison groups. HRQoL was assessed using the Short Form-36. We found that the Physical Component Summary of healthy patients with isolated growth hormone deficiency or idiopathic short stature resembled that of the control group (53.8 vs. 54.9). Patients with associated diseases or syndromes scored slightly lower (52.5), and former cancer patients scored lowest (42.6). The Mental Component Summary was similar for all groups. Lower Physical Component Summary was associated with lower educational level (coeff. -1.9). Final height was not associated with HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE In conclusion, HRQoL after treatment with rhGH in childhood depended mainly on the underlying indication for rhGH treatment. Patients with isolated growth hormone deficiency/idiopathic short stature or patients with associated diseases or syndromes had HRQoL comparable to peers. Patients with growth hormone deficiency after childhood cancer were at high risk for lower HRQoL. This reflects the general impaired health of this vulnerable group, which needs long-term follow-up.

Addition of docetaxel, zoledronic acid, or both to first-line long-term hormone therapy in prostate cancer (STAMPEDE): survival results from an adaptive, multiarm, multistage, platform randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND Long-term hormone therapy has been the standard of care for advanced prostate cancer since the 1940s. STAMPEDE is a randomised controlled trial using a multiarm, multistage platform design. It recruits men with high-risk, locally advanced, metastatic or recurrent prostate cancer who are starting first-line long-term hormone therapy. We report primary survival results for three research comparisons testing the addition of zoledronic acid, docetaxel, or their combination to standard of care versus standard of care alone. METHODS Standard of care was hormone therapy for at least 2 years; radiotherapy was encouraged for men with N0M0 disease to November, 2011, then mandated; radiotherapy was optional for men with node-positive non-metastatic (N+M0) disease. Stratified randomisation (via minimisation) allocated men 2:1:1:1 to standard of care only (SOC-only; control), standard of care plus zoledronic acid (SOC + ZA), standard of care plus docetaxel (SOC + Doc), or standard of care with both zoledronic acid and docetaxel (SOC + ZA + Doc). Zoledronic acid (4 mg) was given for six 3-weekly cycles, then 4-weekly until 2 years, and docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)) for six 3-weekly cycles with prednisolone 10 mg daily. There was no blinding to treatment allocation. The primary outcome measure was overall survival. Pairwise comparisons of research versus control had 90% power at 2·5% one-sided α for hazard ratio (HR) 0·75, requiring roughly 400 control arm deaths. Statistical analyses were undertaken with standard log-rank-type methods for time-to-event data, with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs derived from adjusted Cox models. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00268476) and ControlledTrials.com (ISRCTN78818544). FINDINGS 2962 men were randomly assigned to four groups between Oct 5, 2005, and March 31, 2013. Median age was 65 years (IQR 60-71). 1817 (61%) men had M+ disease, 448 (15%) had N+/X M0, and 697 (24%) had N0M0. 165 (6%) men were previously treated with local therapy, and median prostate-specific antigen was 65 ng/mL (IQR 23-184). Median follow-up was 43 months (IQR 30-60). There were 415 deaths in the control group (347 [84%] prostate cancer). Median overall survival was 71 months (IQR 32 to not reached) for SOC-only, not reached (32 to not reached) for SOC + ZA (HR 0·94, 95% CI 0·79-1·11; p=0·450), 81 months (41 to not reached) for SOC + Doc (0·78, 0·66-0·93; p=0·006), and 76 months (39 to not reached) for SOC + ZA + Doc (0·82, 0·69-0·97; p=0·022). There was no evidence of heterogeneity in treatment effect (for any of the treatments) across prespecified subsets. Grade 3-5 adverse events were reported for 399 (32%) patients receiving SOC, 197 (32%) receiving SOC + ZA, 288 (52%) receiving SOC + Doc, and 269 (52%) receiving SOC + ZA + Doc. INTERPRETATION Zoledronic acid showed no evidence of survival improvement and should not be part of standard of care for this population. Docetaxel chemotherapy, given at the time of long-term hormone therapy initiation, showed evidence of improved survival accompanied by an increase in adverse events. Docetaxel treatment should become part of standard of care for adequately fit men commencing long-term hormone therapy. FUNDING Cancer Research UK, Medical Research Council, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer, Janssen, Astellas, NIHR Clinical Research Network, Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research.

Description of the SAGhE Cohort: A Large European Study of Mortality and Cancer Incidence Risks after Childhood Treatment with Recombinant Growth Hormone.

BACKGROUND The long-term safety of growth hormone treatment is uncertain. Raised risks of death and certain cancers have been reported inconsistently, based on limited data or short-term follow-up by pharmaceutical companies. PATIENTS AND METHODS The SAGhE (Safety and Appropriateness of Growth Hormone Treatments in Europe) study assembled cohorts of patients treated in childhood with recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) in 8 European countries since the first use of this treatment in 1984 and followed them for cause-specific mortality and cancer incidence. Expected rates were obtained from national and local general population data. The cohort consisted of 24,232 patients, most commonly treated for isolated growth failure (53%), Turner syndrome (13%) and growth hormone deficiency linked to neoplasia (12%). This paper describes in detail the study design, methods and data collection and discusses the strengths, biases and weaknesses consequent on this. CONCLUSION The SAGhE cohort is the largest and longest follow-up cohort study of growth hormone-treated patients with follow-up and analysis independent of industry. It forms a major resource for investigating cancer and mortality risks in r-hGH patients. The interpretation of SAGhE results, however, will need to take account of the methods of cohort assembly and follow-up in each country.

Association of hormone therapy and incident gout: population-based case-control study

OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the odds of developing incident gout in association with the use of postmenopausal estrogen-progestogen therapy, according to type, timing, duration, and route of administration of estrogen-progestogen therapy. METHODS We conducted a retrospective population-based case-control analysis using the United Kingdom-based Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We identified women (aged 45 y or older) who had a first-time diagnosis of gout recorded between 1990 and 2010. We matched one female control with each case on age, general practice, calendar time, and years of active history in the database. We used multivariate conditional logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs (adjusted for confounders). RESULTS The adjusted OR for gout with current use of oral formulations of opposed estrogens (estrogen-progestogen) was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.56-0.86) compared with never use. Current use was associated with a decreased OR for gout in women without renal failure (adjusted OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.87) and hypertension (adjusted OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44-0.87) compared with never use. Tibolone was associated with a decreased OR for gout (adjusted OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.63-0.95) compared with never use. Estrogens alone did not alter the OR for gout. CONCLUSIONS Current use of oral opposed estrogens, but not unopposed estrogens, is associated with a decreased OR for incident gout in women without renal failure and is more pronounced in women with hypertension. Use of tibolone is associated with a decreased OR for incident gout. The decreased OR for gout may be related to the progestogen component rather than the estrogen component.

Growth hormone replacement therapy regulates microRNA-29a and targets involved in insulin resistance

Replacement of growth hormone (GH) in patients suffering from GH deficiency (GHD) offers clinical benefits on body composition, exercise capacity, and skeletal integrity. However, GH replacement therapy (GHRT) is also associated with insulin resistance, but the mechanisms are incompletely understood. We demonstrate that in GH-deficient mice (growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor (Ghrhr)(lit/lit)), insulin resistance after GHRT involves the upregulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the downregulation of microRNA miR-29a in skeletal muscle. Based on RNA deep sequencing of skeletal muscle from GH-treated Ghrhr(lit/lit) mice, we identified several upregulated genes as predicted miR-29a targets that are negative regulators of insulin signaling or profibrotic/proinflammatory components of the ECM. Using gain- and loss-of-function studies, five of these genes were confirmed as endogenous targets of miR-29a in human myotubes (PTEN, COL3A1, FSTL1, SERPINH1, SPARC). In addition, in human myotubes, IGF1, but not GH, downregulated miR-29a expression and upregulated COL3A1. These results were confirmed in a group of GH-deficient patients after 4 months of GHRT. Serum IGF1 increased, skeletal muscle miR-29a decreased, and miR-29a targets were upregulated in patients with a reduced insulin response (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)) after GHRT. We conclude that miR-29a could contribute to the metabolic response of muscle tissue to GHRT by regulating ECM components and PTEN. miR-29a and its targets might be valuable biomarkers for muscle metabolism following GH replacement. KEY MESSAGES GHRT most significantly affects the ECM cluster in skeletal muscle from mice. GHRT downregulates miR-29a and upregulates miR-29a targets in skeletal muscle from mice. PTEN, COL3A1, FSTL1, SERPINH1, and SPARC are endogenous miR-29a targets in human myotubes. IGF1 decreases miR-29a levels in human myotubes. miR-29a and its targets are regulated during GHRT in skeletal muscle from humans.

Anti-Müllerian hormone and progesterone levels produced by granulosa cells are higher when derived from natural cycle IVF than from conventional gonadotropin-stimulated IVF.

BACKGROUND The study was designed to compare the effect of in vitro FSH stimulation on the hormone production and gene expression profile of granulosa cells (GCs) isolated from single naturally matured follicles obtained from natural cycle in vitro fertilization (NC-IVF) with granulosa cells obtained from conventional gonadotropin-stimulated IVF (c-IVF). METHODS Lutein granulosa cells from the dominant follicle were isolated and cultured in absence or presence of recombinant FSH. The cultures were run for 48 h and six days. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and FSH receptor were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). AMH protein and progesterone concentration (P4) in cultured supernatant were measured by ELISA and RIA. RESULTS Our results showed that the mRNA expression of AMH was significantly higher in GCs from NC- than from c-IVF on day 6 after treatment with FSH (1 IU/mL). The FSH stimulation increased the concentration of AMH in the culture supernatant of GCs from NC-IVF compared with cells from c-IVF. In the culture medium, the AMH level was correlated significantly and positively to progesterone concentration. CONCLUSIONS Differences in the levels of AMH and progesterone released into the medium by cultured GC as well as in AMH gene expression were observed between GCs obtained under natural and stimulated IVF protocols. The results suggest that artificial gonadotropin stimulation may have an effect on the intra-follicular metabolism. A significant positive correlation between AMH and progesterone may suggest progesterone as a factor influencing AMH secretion.

Natural history of growth hormone deficiency in a pediatric cohort.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Controversies still exist regarding the evaluation of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in childhood at the end of growth. The aim of this study was to describe the natural history of GHD in a pediatric cohort. METHODS This is a retrospective study of a cohort of pediatric patients with GHD. Cases of acquired GHD were excluded. Univariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of GHD persisting into adulthood. RESULTS Among 63 identified patients, 47 (75%) had partial GHD at diagnosis, while 16 (25%) had complete GHD, including 5 with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies. At final height, 50 patients underwent repeat stimulation testing; 28 (56%) recovered and 22 (44%) remained growth hormone (GH) deficient. Predictors of persisting GHD were: complete GHD at diagnosis (OR 10.1, 95% CI 2.4-42.1), pituitary stalk defect or ectopic pituitary gland on magnetic resonance imaging (OR 6.5, 95% CI 1.1-37.1), greater height gain during GH treatment (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.3), and IGF-1 level <-2 standard deviation scores (SDS) following treatment cessation (OR 19.3, 95% CI 3.6-103.1). In the multivariate analysis, only IGF-1 level <-2 SDS (OR 13.3, 95% CI 2.3-77.3) and complete GHD (OR 6.3, 95% CI 1.2-32.8) were associated with the outcome. CONCLUSION At final height, 56% of adolescents with GHD had recovered. Complete GHD at diagnosis, low IGF-1 levels following retesting, and pituitary malformation were strong predictors of persistence of GHD.

A 2-year multicentre, open-label, randomized, controlled study of growth hormone (Genotropin(®) ) treatment in very young children born small for gestational age: Early Growth and Neurodevelopment (EGN) Study

OBJECTIVE In Europe, growth hormone (GH) treatment for children born small for gestational age (SGA) can only be initiated after 4 years of age. However, younger age at treatment initiation is a predictor of favourable response. To assess the effect of GH treatment on early growth and cognitive functioning in very young (<30 months), short-stature children born SGA. DESIGN A 2-year, randomized controlled, multicentre study (NCT00627523; EGN study), in which patients received either GH treatment or no treatment for 24 months. PATIENTS Children aged 19-29 months diagnosed as SGA at birth, and for whom sufficient early growth data were available, were eligible. Patients were randomized (1:1) to GH treatment (Genotropin(®) , Pfizer Inc.) at a dose of 0·035 mg/kg/day by subcutaneous injection, or no treatment. MEASUREMENTS The primary objective was to assess the change from baseline in height standard deviation score (SDS) after 24 months of GH treatment. RESULTS Change from baseline in height SDS was significantly greater in the GH treatment vs control group at both month 12 (1·03 vs 0·14) and month 24 (1·63 vs 0·43; both P < 0·001). Growth velocity SDS was significantly higher in the GH treatment vs control group at 12 months (P < 0·001), but not at 24 months. There was no significant difference in mental or psychomotor development indices between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS GH treatment for 24 months in very young short-stature children born SGA resulted in a significant increase in height SDS compared with no treatment.

Gestation-specific reference intervals for comprehensive spot urinary steroid hormone metabolite analysis in normal singleton pregnancy and 6 weeks postpartum

BACKGROUND: Normal pregnancy depends on pronounced adaptations in steroid hormone concentrations. Although in recent years, the understanding of these hormones in pregnancy has improved, the interpretation is hampered by insufficient reference values. Our aim was to establish gestation-specific reference intervals for spot urinary steroid hormone levels in normal singleton pregnancies and 6 weeks postpartum. METHODS: Cross-sectional multicentre observational study. Women recruited between 2008 and 2013 at 3 University Hospitals in Switzerland (Bern), Scotland (Glasgow) and Austria (Graz). Spot urine was collected from healthy women undergoing a normal pregnancy (age, 16-45 years; mean, 31 years) attending routine antenatal clinics at gestation weeks 11, 20, and 28 and approximately 6 weeks postpartum. Urine steroid hormone levels were analysed using gas-chromatography mass spectrometry. Creatinine was also measured by routine analysis and used for normalisation. RESULTS: From the results, a reference interval was calculated for each hormone metabolite at each trimester and 6 weeks postpartum. Changes in these concentrations between trimesters and postpartum were also observed for several steroid hormones and followed changes proposed for index steroid hormones. CONCLUSIONS: Normal gestation-specific reference values for spot urinary steroid hormones throughout pregnancy and early postpartum are now available to facilitate clinical management and research approaches to steroid hormone metabolism in pregnancy and the early postpartum period.

Effects of aerobic exercise on ectopic lipids in patients with growth hormone deficiency before and after growth hormone replacement therapy

Growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) increases exercise capacity and insulin resistance while it decreases fat mass in growth hormone-deficient patients (GHD). Ectopic lipids (intramyocellular (IMCL) and intrahepatocellular lipids (IHCL) are related to insulin resistance. The effect of GHRT on ectopic lipids is unknown. It is hypothesized that exercise-induced utilization of ectopic lipids is significantly decreased in GHD patients and normalized by GHRT. GHD (4 females, 6 males) and age/gender/waist-matched control subjects (CS) were studied. VO2max was assessed on a treadmill and insulin sensitivity determined by a two-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp. Visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) fat were quantified by MR-imaging. IHCL and IMCL were measured before and after a 2 h exercise at 50-60% of VO2max using MR-spectroscopy (∆IMCL, ∆IHCL). Identical investigations were performed after 6 months of GHRT. VO2max was similar in GHD and CS and significantly increased after GHRT; GHRT significantly decreased SAT and VAT. 2 h-exercise resulted in a decrease in IMCL (significant in CS and GHRT) and a significant increase in IHCL in CS and GHD pre and post GHRT. GHRT didn't significantly impact on ∆IMCL and ∆IHCL. We conclude that aerobic exercise affects ectopic lipids in patients and controls. GHRT increases exercise capacity without influencing ectopic lipids.

Regulation of fuel metabolism during exercise in hypopituitarism with growth hormone-deficiency (GHD).

OBJECTIVE Growth hormone (GH) has a strong lipolytic action and its secretion is increased during exercise. Data on fuel metabolism and its hormonal regulation during prolonged exercise in patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is scarce. This study aimed at evaluating the hormonal and metabolic response during aerobic exercise in GHD patients. DESIGN Ten patients with confirmed GHD and 10 healthy control individuals (CI) matched for age, sex, BMI, and waist performed a spiroergometric test to determine exercise capacity (VO2max). Throughout a subsequent 120-minute exercise on an ergometer at 50% of individual VO2max free fatty acids (FFA), glucose, GH, cortisol, catecholamines and insulin were measured. Additionally substrate oxidation assessed by indirect calorimetry was determined at begin and end of exercise. RESULTS Exercise capacity was lower in GHD compared to CI (VO2max 35.5±7.4 vs 41.5±5.5ml/min∗kg, p=0.05). GH area under the curve (AUC-GH), peak-GH and peak-FFA were lower in GHD patients during exercise compared to CI (AUC-GH 100±93.2 vs 908.6±623.7ng∗min/ml, p<0.001; peak-GH 1.5±1.53 vs 12.57±9.36ng/ml, p<0.001, peak-FFA 1.01±0.43 vs 1.51±0.56mmol/l, p=0.036, respectively). There were no significant differences for insulin, cortisol, catecholamines and glucose. Fat oxidation at the end of exercise was higher in CI compared to GHD patients (295.7±73.9 vs 187.82±103.8kcal/h, p=0.025). CONCLUSION A reduced availability of FFA during a 2-hour aerobic exercise and a reduced fat oxidation at the end of exercise may contribute to the decreased exercise capacity in GHD patients. Catecholamines and cortisol do not compensate for the lack of the lipolytic action of GH in patients with GHD.

ALTERATIONS IN HYPOTHALAMIC CONTENT OF LUTEINIZING HORMONE RELEASING HORMONE AND PITUITARY RESPONSIVENESS ASSOCIATED WITH TESTICULAR REGRESSION INDUCED BY PINEAL RELATED TREATMENTS IN THE GOLDEN HAMSTER

The adult male golden hamster, when exposed to blinding (BL), short photoperiod (SP), or daily melatonin injections (MEL) demonstrates dramatic reproductive collapse. This collapse can be blocked by removal of the pineal gland prior to treatment. Reproductive collapse is characterized by a dramatic decrease in both testicular weight and serum gonadotropin titers. The present study was designed to examine the interactions of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland during testicular regression, and to specifically compare and contrast changes caused by the three commonly employed methods of inducing testicular regression (BL,SP,MEL). Hypothalamic LHRH content was altered by all three treatments. There was an initial increase in content of LHRH that occurred concomitantly with the decreased serum gonadotropin titers, followed by a precipitous decline in LHRH content which reflected the rapid increases in both serum LH and FSH which occur during spontaneous testicular recrudescence. In vitro pituitary responsiveness was altered by all three treatments: there was a decline in basal and maximally stimulatable release of both LH and FSH which paralleled the fall of serum gonadotropins. During recrudescence both basal and maximal release dramatically increased in a manner comparable to serum hormone levels. While all three treatments were equally effective in their ability to induce changes at all levels of the endocrine system, there were important temporal differences in the effects of the various treatments. Melatonin injections induced the most rapid changes in endocrine parameters, followed by exposure to short photoperiod. Blinding required the most time to induce the same changes. This study has demonstrated that pineal-mediated testicular regression is a process which involves dynamic changes in multiply-dependent endocrine relationships, and proper evaluation of these changes must be performed with specific temporal events in mind. ^