The impact of pegylated recombinant human growth hormone replacement therapy on glucose and lipid metabolism in children with growth hormone deficiency

Background: This study aimed to investigate the impact of pegylated recombinant human growth hormone (PEG-rhGH) replacement therapy on glucose and lipid metabolism in children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Methods: A total of 17 children with a growth hormone deficiency were treated with PEG-rhGH (trade name Juyi’ Erchun) via subcutaneous injection once a week before sleep for 3 months. The doses given were 0.2 and 0.15 mg/(kg·week). The injection sites included the upper arm, the front of the thigh, and the periumbilical area of the abdominal wall. Follow-ups were conducted every 3 months after the treatment to detect the metabolic indexes of the children’s blood glucose and blood lipids. Growth and development indexes, thyroid function, and other indexes were also detected regularly. The glucose and lipid metabolism indexes of each child, including fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), were measured before the treatment and every three months after the treatment. The total detection time was 3–30 months. Results: No significant differences in fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL were detected after the treatment when compared with measurements taken before the treatment (P>0.05). Conclusions: PEG-rhGH replacement therapy may have no significant impact on glucose and lipid metabolism in children with GHD. However, this conclusion needs to be verified through studies with larger samples and long-term follow-up periods.