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Linda J. Woodhouse, Sylvia L. Asa, Scott G. Thomas, Shereen Ezzat, Growth Hormone Deficiency and Physical Function, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 86, Issue 4, 1 April 2001, Pages 1839–1846, https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.86.4.7436-7
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To the editor:
We agree with Dr. Sartorio and his colleagues that the effects of rhGH treatment on muscle size, strength, and anaerobic capacity in adult GH-deficient (GHD) patients are limited. We did not see marked improvement in muscle strength despite an increase in mean fiber area (both type I and type II fibers) following rhGH treatment as compared with placebo or baseline (1). However, the significant improvement in aerobic function that we have described (1) suggests that the capacity of skeletal muscle to utilize oxygen for energy expenditure maybe enhanced and/or there is an enhanced ability to deliver oxygen in response to rhGH treatment. The improvement in cardiac function associated with rhGH treatment (2) is certainly compatible with the latter possibility. Nevertheless, it may well be that the interface of oxygen delivery and utilization is critical in GHD subjects and that examination of muscle function alone may be less revealing in the GH deficiency state.
