Avtor/Urednik		Pfeifer, M; Verhovec, R; Žižek, B
Naslov		Growth hormone (GH) and atherpsclerosis: changes in morphology and function of major arteries during GH treatment
Tip		članek
Vir		Growth Horm IGF Res
Vol. in št.		Letnik 9, št. Suppl A
Leto izdaje		1999
Obseg		str. 25-30
Jezik		eng
Abstrakt		Summary Patients with hypopituitarism have increased carotid artery intima-media thickness and reduced arterial distensibility. The effect of 2 years of growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy on these parameters was studied in 11 GH-deficient men (age range, 24-49 years) with hypopituitarism and compared with 12 healthy, age-matched men with no evidence of pituitary or vascular disease. Before treatment the intima-media of the common carotid arteries and the carotid bifurcations were significantly thicker in patients (P < 0.001) than in the control group. Treatment with GH normalized the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery within 6 months and of the carotid bifurcation within 3 months. The changes in intima-media thickness of the carotid artery were negatively correlated with changes in serum levels of insulin-like growth factor I during treatment. There was a significant improvement in flow-mediated, endothelium-dependent dilation of the brachial artery at 3 months, which was sustained at 6, 18 and 24 months of GH treatment (P < 0.05). Thus, GH replacement therapy in GH-deficient men reverses early morphological and functional atherosclerotic changes in major arteries, and may reduce rates of vascular morbidity and mortality.
Deskriptorji		HYPOPITUITARISM SOMATOTROPIN ATHEROSCLEROSIS CAROTID ARTERY, COMMON BRACHIAL ARTERY ADULT ENDOTHELIUM, VASCULAR VASODILATION INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR I TUNICA MEDIA TUNICA INTIMA