Children born small for gestational age (SGA) receiving growth hormone have similarly impaired glucose-insulin metabolism as children with obesity
Authors' conclusion
SGA patients have an impaired glucose-insulin metabolism similar to that of children with obesity, which worsens under GH therapy. Close metabolic monitoring of GH-treated SGA patients is recommended.
Study context
- Population
- Children born SGA, children with isolated growth hormone deficiency (iGHD), children with obesity and lean controls
- Participants
- 134 / 27 / 308 / 427 / 356
- Exposure
- Growth hormone (GH)-treated children born SGA vs untreated SGA with catch-up growth (CUG), GH-treated iGHD, obesity and lean controls
- SGA-GHTn = 134
- SGA-CUGn = 27
- iGHDn = 308
- Obesityn = 427
- Lean controlsn = 356reference
- Outcome
- Glucose-insulin metabolism indices from OGTT (Matsuda index, AUC insulin) and fasting parameters (fasting glucose, HOMA-IR)
Methodological detailsadjusted for sex, age and BMI through matching and multivariable regression
- Adjusted for sex, age and BMI through matching and multivariable regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Insulin resistance, treatment-naïve SGA-GHT vs iGHD
- Treatment-naïve SGA-GHT more insulin-resistant than iGHD, with levels approaching those of the obesity cohort
- SGA-GHT vs iGHD: P = 0.002
- SGA-GHT vs iGHD: P < 0.001
- SGA-GHT vs iGHD: P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Values |
|---|---|
| HbA1c under GH therapy | SGA-GHT 5.26 ± 0.35 % · iGHD 5.25 ± 0.25 % · Lean controls 5.09 ± 0.27 % |
| Prediabetes prevalenceHighest in SGA-GHT | SGA-GHT 11.11% · iGHD 1.59% · Obesity 3.13% |
| Markers of prediabetes after stopping GH therapy | SGA-GHT 4.65% · Obesity 6.38% |
HbA1c under GH therapy
- HbA1c higher in SGA-GHT and iGHD than in lean controls
Insulin resistance under GH therapy
- Insulin resistance in SGA-GHT approached levels seen in obesity
Markers of prediabetes after stopping GH therapy
- SGA-GHT retained elevated markers of prediabetes and insulin resistance vs controls and iGHD, similar to obesity
Overt T2D
- No overt T2D observed
Original publication
Children born SGA receiving growth hormone have similarly impaired glucose-insulin metabolism as children with obesity. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 10 February 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →