Abstract
There are striking similarities between Syndrome X or "the metabolic syndrome" and untreated GH deficiency in adults. The most central findings in both these syndromes are abdominal/visceral obesity and insulin resistance. Other features common to both syndromes are lipid abnormalities, increased prevalence of hypertension, elevated levels of plasma fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-l activity, premature atherosclerosis, and increased mortality from cardiovascular disease. GH treatment can improve several of the aberrations that GH deficiency has in common with Syndrome X. Recently, we have shown that nine months of treatment in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in middle-aged men with abdominal/visceral obesity reduced their total body fat and resulted in specific and marked decrease in both abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue. Moreover, insulin sensitivity and lipoprotein profile improved, and diastolic blood pressure decreased.
A number of experimental and clinical studies suggest a potential role for GH as an addition to conventional therapy for the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). Recently, patients with heart failure due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy showed a positive response
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