Effects of Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency and GH Replacement Therapy on Health-Related Physical Fitness in Children
Authors' conclusion
GHRT exerts broad beneficial effects on health-related physical fitness and HRQoL in children with GHD.
Study context
- Population
- Children with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and controls
- Participants
- 49 vs 46
- Exposure
- GHD children vs controls; GHD children before vs after 1-year GH replacement therapy (GHRT)
- GHDn = 49
- Controlsn = 46reference
- Outcome
- Health-related physical fitness
Methodological detailscase-control comparison at baseline, 1-year follow-up of GHD patients on GHRT
- Case-control comparison at baseline
- 1-year follow-up of GHD patients on GHRT
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Health-related physical fitness, GHD vs controls · baseline
- GHD vs Controls: P = 0.03
- GHD vs Controls: P = 0.001
- GHD vs Controls: P = 0.04
- GHD vs Controls: P = 0.04
- GHD vs Controls: P = 0.002
- GHD vs Controls: P = 0.03
- GHD vs Controls: P = 0.02
- Mean ± spread as printed
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Effect of 1-year GHRT in GHD (after vs before)
- Sitting time reduced (min/wk)
- 3107.5 ± 1370.9; P = .03
- Waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) reduced
- 0.45 ± 0.06; P = .02
- Fat mass % reduced
- 27.4 ± 5.4 vs 23.7 ± 5.8; P < .0001
- METs-min/wk increased
- 2174.5 ± 1737.9 vs 2788.1 ± 2395.0; P = .05
- Fat-free mass increased (kg)
- 22.1 ± 7.6 vs 27.9 ± 9.4; P < .0001
- Handgrip strength increased (kg)
- 11.1 ± 3.6 vs 15.4 ± 4.9; P = .0001
- Squat jump increased (cm)
- 16.6 ± 4.7; P = .01
- Long jump increased (cm)
- 129.6 ± 25.2; P < .0001
- Countermovement jump increased (cm)
- 16.0 ± 4.3; P = .003
- 6MWD increased (m)
- 540.5 ± 88.5; P = .01
- VO2max increased (mL/kg/min)
- 31.8 ± 5.1; P = .02
- Physical health-related quality of life (HRQoL) score increased
- 76.76 ± 16.42 vs 84.61 ± 11.63; P < .007
- Psychosocial HRQoL score increased
- 75.61 ± 15.12 vs 80.91 ± 11.12; P < .05
Original publication
Effects of Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency and GH Replacement Therapy on Health-Related Physical Fitness in Children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 20 December 2025. doi:10.
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