Gender, age, body mass index, and IGF-I individually and jointly determine distinct GH dynamics: Analyses in one hundred healthy adults

Johannes D. Veldhuis, Ferdinand Roelfsema, Daniel M. Keenan, Steven Pincus

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: GH secretion is quantifiable as mean, peak, and nadir GH concentrations; degree of irregularity (approximate entropy); and spikiness (brief staccato-like fluctuations). Hypothesis: Distinct GH dynamics reflect relatively distinct (combinations of) subject variables, such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and IGF-I concentrations. Location: The study took place at a clinical translational research unit. Subjects: Subjects included 100 healthy adults ages 20-77 yr (59 women and 41 men), BMI 18-42 kg/m2, and IGF-I 9.2-38 nmol/liter. Measures: Immunofluorometric GH assay was done on 10-min samples collected for 24 h. Results: Stepwise forward-selection multivariate regression analysis revealed that mean GH concentrations were simultaneously determined (overall r=0.36; P<0.001) by gender (higher in women, P< 0.001), BMI (negatively, P<0.001), and IGF-I (positively, P<0.001). Peak GH levels were influenced (r= 0.28) by both BMI (P < 0.001) and IGF-I (P < 0.001). Nadir GH values were jointly affected by gender (higher in women, P = 0.005) and BMI (negatively, P = 0.001). GH approximate entropy was triply defined (r=0.29) by gender (greater irregularity in women, P=0.001), age (P=0.022), and BMI (P=0.008) and dually (r=0.25) by gender (P=0.0001) and BMI (P=0.017) if sex steroids were included. GH spikiness was determined (r=0.29) by gender (higher in women, P=0.0016) and BMI (positively, P=0.0002). Conclusion: In healthy adults, combinations of gender, age, BMI, and IGF-I specify distinct GH dynamics, thus requiring balanced representation of these variables in comparative GH studies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)115-121
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume96
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Biochemistry
  • Endocrinology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Biochemistry, medical

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