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Low urinary GH levels in normal statured obese children
Author(s) -
Sartorio A,
Conti A,
Ferrero S
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1996.tb14178.x
Subject(s) - medicine , urinary system , pediatrics
Urinary GH (u‐GH) levels were evaluated in 240 children (age range 5‐14 years; 136M, 104F) of normal height (25‐90th centile); 165 children were defined as “non‐obese” (body mass index (BMI) < 75th centile for their chronological age (CA)) and 75 as “obese” (BMI > 75th). U‐GH levels were determined using a two‐site enzyme immunometric assay and calculated as the mean obtained from the values of three consecutive first morning voidings; results were expressed as both u‐GH concentration (ng1 −1 ) and u‐GH excretion (ng per night). Multiple regression analysis revealed that in all children (non‐obese and obese) most of the variation in u‐GH levels (ngl 1 and ng night −1 ) was explained by BMI (coefficient: −0.72, p < 0.0001 and coefficient: −0.10, p < 0.001, respectively) and chronological age (coefficient: 1.03, p < 0.01 and coefficient: 0.27, p < 0.001, respectively), whereas sex and pubertal stage did not add significance to the variance. In obese children, mean u‐GH concentration and u‐GH excretion (per night) levels were significantly lower than those recorded in non‐obese children both before and during puberty. A similar trend towards higher u‐GH levels at puberty was found in non‐obese and obese children. In conclusion, our study shows that u‐GH levels are (a) related to CA and BMI in the general population and (b) significantly lower in obese than in non‐obese children, in spite of their comparable normal height. The measurement of u‐GH excretion in the assessment of children with short stature needs to take into consideration the role of marked ponderal excess, which is associated “per se” with significantly lower u‐GH levels.