231 EFFECTS OF EARLY POSTNATAL RECOMBINANT HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE (rhGH) TREATMENT ON PROTEIN METABOLISM IN INTRA UTERINE GROWTH RETARDED (IUGR) PRETERM INFANTS: a pilot study

摘要

Treatment with rhGH has direct anabolic effects in catabolic adult intensive care patients. Preceding a randomised double blind placebo controlled investigation, a pilot study was performed in 10 type II (non-symmetric) IUGR preterm infants (birthw. 920 ± 155 g., gest. age 30 ± 2 wks.) (SDS≤-2) regarding possible early postnatal anabolic effects of rhGH on protein metabolism. 5 infants received a daily subcutaneous injection with 0.5 (n = 2) or 1.0 (n=3) IU.kg?d? rhGH and 5 IUGR infants were studied as controls. Daily rhGH was started one week after birth and stopped 6-8 weeks later. At postnatal age 41 ± 15 d. protein metabolism was studied during indirect calorimetry using 1-13C-leucine turnover studies. All infants received continuous special formula feeding via a nasogastric drip {120 kcal.kg?1d?1). Results of protein intake, turnover, synthesis, breakdown, and accretion in g.kg?1,d?1 as means ± S.D. (sign, of diff. tested by Mann-Whitney U test):Conclusions: These results indicate a stimulatory effect of rhGH in IUGR preterm infants on protein turnover, synthesis and breakdown not resulting, however, in a significant rise of net-protein accretion. Additional studies are necessary to give conclusive evidence of a non-anabolic or possibly even catabolic effect of daily rhGH treatment in these infants.