Growth Hormone and Function in Elderly Persons
Authors: Axel G. Feller
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1997)

Letters1 April 1997Growth Hormone and Function in Elderly PersonsAxel G. Feller, MD, Lester Cohn, MD, and Inge W. Rudman, RPTAxel G. Feller, MDVeterans Affairs Medical Center, The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL 60064Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226.Search for more papers by this author, Lester Cohn, MDVeterans Affairs Medical Center, The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL 60064Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226.Search for more papers by this author, and Inge W. Rudman, RPTVeterans Affairs Medical Center, The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL 60064Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-126-7-199704010-00013 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Papadakis and colleagues [1] reported that a cohort of healthy, active men older than 70 years of age with low insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels had increased lean body mass and decreased fat mass after receiving human growth hormone for 6 months. This finding confirmed our observations after 6 months [2] and 12 months [3] of human growth hormone treatment in a similar group of healthy older men. Papadakis and colleagues noted no significant functional improvement, as measured by muscle strength and physical endurance. In contrast, Jorgensen and associates [4] studied growth hormone-deficient younger adults after ...References1. Papadakis MA, Grady D, Black D, Tierney MJ, Gooding GA, Schambelan M, et al. Growth hormone replacement in healthy older men improves body composition but not functional ability. Ann Intern Med. 1996; 124:708-16. Google Scholar2. Rudman D, Feller AG, Nagraj HS, Gergans GA, Lalitha PY, Goldberg AF, et al. Effects of human growth hormone in men over sixty years old. N Engl J Med. 1990; 323:1-6. Google Scholar3. Rudman D, Feller AG, Cohn L, Shetty KR, Rudman IW, Draper MW. Effects of human growth hormone on body composition in elderly men. Hormone Res. 1991; 36(Suppl 1):73-81. Google Scholar4. Jorgensen JO, Thuesen L, Muller J, Ovesen P, Skakkebaek NE, Christiansen JS. Three years of growth hormone treatment in growth hormone-deficient adults: near normalization of body composition and physical performance. Eur J Endocrinol. 1994; 130:224-8. Google Scholar5. Cohn L, Feller AG, Draper MW, Rudman IW, Rudman D. Carpal tunnel syndrome and gynecomastia during growth hormone treatment of elderly men with low circulating IGF-I concentrations. Clin Endocrinol. 1993; 39:417-25. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, The Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL 60064Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByA Review of the Effects of Growth Hormone Changes on Symptoms of Frailty in the Elderly with Chronic Kidney Disease 1 April 1997Volume 126, Issue 7Page: 583KeywordsElderlyGrowth hormoneHuman growth hormoneInsulin like growth factor 1Insulin-like growth factorsLiverMusclesSpleenStroke rehabilitationYoung adults Issue Published: 1 April 1997 CopyrightCopyright © 1997 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...