Low bone status in Indian growth hormone-deficient children.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Growth hormone (GH) is critical for linear bone growth, skeletal maturation and mineralization during childhood. AIMS: The aim of this study is to examine the impact of bone size and lean body mass (LBM) adjusted less head (LH) total body bone mineral content (TBBMC) in 50 prepubertal GH-deficient children. RESULTS: The mean height (Ht) for age Z-score was -5.0±1.7. The mean total body less head (TBLH) BMC for Ht age Z-score after adjusting for TBLH LBM and TBLH BA was -3.27±0.27. The mean TBLH BMC Z-score remained below -2 even after adjustments for TBLH LBM, bone age, and Ht age, suggesting a deficit of BMC in spite of all adjustments. Applying the Molgaard approach, all children had "short bones," 86% had "narrow bones," and 72% had "light bones." When adjusted for LBM, 87% of the children had low LBM for Ht and 33% had low TBLH BMC for TBLH LBM. CONCLUSION: LH TBBMC of children remained low, even after adjustment for bone size and LBM.