Insulin-like growth factor system in patients with HIV infection: effect of exogenous growth hormone administration.

The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in the levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding proteins (BP) 1, 2, and 3 in HIV-infected adults throughout the course of their disease, and to assess the responsiveness of the IGF system components to growth hormone (GH) administration (6 mg/day) for 2 weeks. Healthy control study subjects (n = 10) were compared with patients who were either HIV-positive (n = 9), had AIDS without weight loss (n = 13), or had AIDS with >10% weight loss (n = 6), all of whom had been free of acute illness for at least 3 months. Under basal conditions, fasting serum concentrations of epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, glucagon, insulin, IGF-I, and IGFBP-3 were not significantly different among the four groups.

Albumin synthesis and bone collagen formation in human immunodeficiency virus-positive subjects: differential effects of growth hormone administration.

Loss of lean tissue often accompanies human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Exogenous human recombinant GH (hrGH) has been shown to be beneficial in reversing this wasting. However, catabolic effects of hrGH on muscle protein metabolism have also been reported.

Responsiveness of muscle protein synthesis to growth hormone administration in HIV-infected individuals declines with severity of disease.

This study was undertaken to determine if human recombinant growth hormone (hrGH, 6 mg/d for 2 wk) would stimulate muscle protein synthesis in AIDS wasting. Healthy controls were compared with patients who were HIV+, had AIDS without weight loss, and had AIDS with > 10% weight loss. Before hrGH, rates of skeletal muscle protein synthesis, measured with l-[2H5]phenylalanine, were the same in controls and in all stages of disease.