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Horm Metab Res 2018; 50(03): 250-256
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-124970
Endocrine Care
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Reduced Growth Hormone Secretion is Associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese Children

Shuang Liang
1   Department of Pediatrics, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong, China
,
Zhen Yu
2   Department of Pediatrics, Shandong University Qilu Hospital, Shandong, China
,
Xiaobo Song
3   Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Changchun, Jilin, China
,
Yu Wang
4   Department of Gastroenterology, The Sixth People Hospital of Jinan City, Shandong, China
,
Meng Li
5   Department of Radiology, The Sixth People Hospital of Jinan City, Shandong, China
,
Jiang Xue
1   Department of Pediatrics, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Shandong, China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 24 July 2017

accepted 06 December 2017

Publication Date:
16 January 2018 (online)

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Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between arginine-levodopa-induced growth hormone (GH) secretion and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese children. This study includes a total of 84 obese and 43 normal weight children. The obese subjects are divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of NAFLD. Clinical examination, anthropometric and laboratory examinations, and liver ultrasonography are assessed for all participants. The obese group had significantly lower peak stimulated GH (p<0.001) and lower insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) (p<0.001) compared with the control group. Children with NAFLD had significantly lower peak stimulated GH (p<0.001) and lower IGF-1 (p=0.022) compared with non-NAFLD group. Results from logistic regression model showed that only peak GH after stimulation test was inversely associated with NAFLD (p=0.015), while body mass index (BMI) was positively associated with NAFLD (p=0.03). Among 84 obese children and adolescents, peak stimulated GH was negatively associated with alanine aminotransferase (r=–0.394, p<0.001), BMI (r=–0.571, p<0.001), systolic blood pressure (r=–0.223, p=0.041), diastolic blood pressure (r=–0.272, p=0.012), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (r=–0.369, p=0.001), insulin (r=–0.382, p<0.001), and positively associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=0.275, p=0.011). Our study confirms a significant inverse relationship between NAFLD and GH response to standard stimulation testing in obese children without known hypothalamic/pituitary disease.

Key words

reduced growth hormone secretion - nonalcoholic fatty liver disease - insulin-like growth factor 1
 

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