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Influence of Growth Hormone on Accretion of Bone Mass

Growth hormone (GH) exerts important influences on bone metabolism during lifespan. During childhood, GH is a major determinant of acquisition of bone mass and in adult life, GH partly determines the rate of bone remodelling and therefore influences maintenance of bone mineral density (BMD). Insights into the importance of GH in these respects may be obtained by studies of BMD and indices of bone remodelling in GH deficiency (GHD) of adult-onset and childhood-onset. Adult-onset GHD, usually accompanied by other features of hypopituitarism, may be associated with osteopenia and an increased fracture risk. Postulated mechanisms include GHD and gonadal steroid deficiency of unknown duration; glucocorticoid and thyroxine replacement do not appear to exert a major role. GH replacement in adult-onset GHD results in an early increment in indices of bone remodelling which persists for up to 5 years; BMD increases by 0.5–1.0 SD in males and stabilizes in females over this time period. In adolescents with GHD who traditionally discontinue GH at completion of linear growth, BMD is substantially lower than peak bone mass for a young adult population. Studies addressing the effects of continuation of GH after achievement of final height are currently underway and will provide insights into the possible need to continue GH into adult life. Such studies may confirm a role for GH in promoting continued accrual of bone mass and thereby demonstrate that cessation of GH at achievement of final height, by limiting peak bone mass, may predispose to clinically significant osteoporosis in later life. In addition to the potential importance of GH for achievement of peak bone mass, there may be a superimposed accelerated loss of BMD with advancing age similar to the situation observed in adult-onset GHD. To date, this has been difficult to assess in adult GHD of childhood-onset because the relative contributions of low peak bone mass and increased loss of bone in later life could not be distinguished.