Impact of Growth Hormone on Skeletal Muscle Strength, Power, Endurance, and Agility in Prepubertal Boys With Short Stature
Authors' conclusion
Boys with significant SS have quantifiable deficits in upper and lower body skeletal muscle strength, and lower physical endurance than normally statured controls. GH treatment for 12 months can improve these metrics in prepubertal boys with SS.
Study context
- Population
- Prepubertal boys with significant short stature vs age-matched normally growing controls; Short stature (SS) mean (SE) age 8.9 ± 0.3 years, height SDS −2.3 ± 0.1; controls 8.8 ± 0.4 years, height SDS −0.3 ± 0.2
- Participants
- 45 participants
- Comparison
- Daily growth hormone (GH) vs observation
- Outcome
- Skeletal muscle strength (isometric dynamometry, flexion/extension, upper and lower extremities)
- Follow-up
- Baseline, 6 and 12 months
Methodological detailsoutpatient endocrine clinic
- Outpatient endocrine clinic
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Muscle strength
- Baseline differences significantly less after GH, with values approaching those of controls by 12 months
- After adjusting for height SDS and fat-free mass, upper extremity strength differences decreased; lower extremity strength differences persisted
- SS vs Controls: P ≤ 0.027
- SS vs Controls: P ≤ 0.007
Further findings
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| Endurance (modified pushups) · baselineSS vs Controls · lower endurance in SS | P = 0.048 |
Lower body muscle power and agility · baseline
- Similar in SS vs controls
Resting energy expenditure (REE)
- No differences in REE were detected
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Impact of Growth Hormone on Skeletal Muscle Strength, Power, Endurance, and Agility in Prepubertal Boys With Short Stature. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 2 April 2025. doi:10.
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