A placebo-controlled study of growth hormone in patients with congestive heart failure.

Abstract

AIM:

Experimental data in heart failure models and an open trial of seven patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy have suggested beneficial effects of growth hormone on cardiac function. The aim of the present study was to evaluate growth hormone effects on cardiac function in a placebo-controlled study.

METHODS:

Twenty two patients with congestive heart failure of different aetiologies in NYHA II and III and an echocardiographic ejection fraction <0.45 were studied in a 3 month double-blind placebo-controlled study with growth hormone added to optimal heart failure therapy. Patients received either placebo (n=11) or recombinant human growth hormone (n=11) in an initial dose of 0.1 IU x kg(-1) week(-1) for 1 week, and thereafter 0.25 IU x kg(-1) week(-1) for the rest of the treatment period. Cardiac function was assessed by equilibrium radionuclide angiography and Doppler echocardiography. Functional capacity was evaluated by computerized bicycle exercise electrocardiography.

RESULTS:

Recombinant human growth hormone had no significant effect on systolic or diastolic cardiac function, exercise capacity or neuroendocrine activation. In addition, there was no overall improvement in functional class or dyspnoea grade. Insulin-like growth factor-I significantly increased demonstrating that the growth hormone had an endocrine effect.

CONCLUSION:

This is the first double-blind and placebo-controlled study of the administration, over 3 months, of recombinant human growth hormone in patients with congestive heart failure of different aetiologies. The treatment was safe and without serious side effects. However, no beneficial effects on cardiac function or structure could be detected.

• Authors: J Isgaard, C H Bergh, K Caidahl, M Lomsky, A Hjalmarson, B A Bengtsson
• Journal: European heart journal (Eur Heart J) Vol. 19 Issue 11 Pg. 1704-11 (Nov 1998) ISSN: 0195-668X [Print] England
• PMID: 9857924 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
• Growth Hormone

Topics

• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Double-Blind Method
• Echocardiography, Doppler
• Female
• Growth Hormone (therapeutic use)
• Heart Failure (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, etiology, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Radionuclide Angiography
• Treatment Outcome
• Ventricular Function, Left