Liver fat in adults with GH deficiency: comparison to matched controls and the effect of GH replacement

CONTEXT: Existing data regarding the association between growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and liver fat content are conflicting. OBJECTIVE: We aimed i) to assess intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL) content in hypopituitary adults with GHD compared to matched controls and ii) to evaluate the effect of growth hormone (GH) replacement on IHCL content. DESIGN: Cross-sectional comparison and controlled intervention study. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional comparison: 22 hypopituitary adults with GHD and 44 healthy controls matched for age, BMI, gender and ethnicity. Intervention study: 9 GHD patients starting GH replacement (GH Rx group), 9 GHD patients not starting replacement therapy (non-GH Rx group). INTERVENTION: Intervention study:GH replacement for 6 months in the GH Rx group, dosage was titrated to achieve normal IGF-1 levels. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: IHCL content determined by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H MRS). RESULTS: Cross-sectional comparison: There was no difference in IHCL content between GHD patients and healthy controls (1.89% (0.30, 4.03) vs. 1.14% (0.22, 2.32); p=0.2), the prevalence of patients with hepatic steatosis (IHCL of ≥ 5.56%) was similar in the two groups (22.7% vs. 15.9%; chi square probability = 0.4). Intervention study: The change in IHCL content over 6 months did not differ between the GH Rx group and the non-GH Rx group (-0.63 ± 4.53% vs. +0.11 ± 1.46%; p=0.6). CONCLUSIONS: In our study liver fat content and the prevalence of hepatic steatosis did not differ between hypopituitary adults with GHD and matched controls. In GHD patients GH replacement had no effect on liver fat content

Comparison of the dose-response pharmacodynamic profiles of detemir and glargine in severely obese patients with type 2 diabetes: A single-blind, randomised cross-over trial.

Despite their widespread use in this population, data on the pharmacodynamic (PD) properties of the insulin analogs detemir and glargine in severely obese patients with type 2 diabetes are lacking. The primary objective of the study was to compare the PD properties of two different doses of the basal insulin analogs detemir and glargine in patients with type 2 diabetes and a BMI > 35 kg/m2. PD data were derived from euglycemic clamp studies over 30 hours and each subject was studied for four times after the subcutaneous injection of a lower (0.8 U/kg body weight) and higher (1.6 U/kg body weight) dose of both detemir and glargine using a single-blind, randomised cross-over design. Six male and four female patients with type 2 diabetes and a mean BMI of 43.2±5.1 kg/m2 (mean age 55.7±2 years, mean HbA1c 7.2±0.3%) completed the study. The total GIRAUC0-30 (mean difference 1224 mg/kg, 95%CI 810-1637, p = 0.00001), GIRAUC0-24 (mean difference 1040 mg/kg, 95%CI 657-1423; p = 0.00001), GIRAUC24-30 (mean difference 181 mg/kg, 95%CI 64-298; p = 0.004), GIRmax (mean difference 0.93 mg/kg/min, 95%CI 0.22-1.64, p = 0.01) and time to GIRmax (+1.9 hours, 95%CI 0.5-3.2; p = 0.009) were higher after the higher doses of both insulins, without significant differences between detemir and glargine. However, during the last 6 hours of the clamp the GIRAUC24-30 was significantly increased with glargine (mean difference 122 mg/kg, 95%CI 6-237, p = 0.043), reflecting a more pronounced late glucose lowering effect. A clear dose-response relationship can be demonstrated for both insulin analogs, even at very high doses in severely obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Compared to detemir, glargine has a more pronounced late glucose lowering effect 24-30 h after its injection. Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN57547229

Clinical efficacy of early initiation of HAART in patients with asymptomatic HIV infection and CD4 cell count > 350 x 10(6) /l

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of early initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), we compared the clinical course of two nested, matched cohorts within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. METHODS: We selected all asymptomatic patients who started HAART between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1999 with a CD4 cell count > 350 x 10(6)/l. We then matched them with asymptomatic participants who were seen at around the same time and who remained untreated during the following 12 months. This control group was further matched for age, sex, CD4 cell count, viral load, and HIV risk category, generating 283 pairs of treated versus untreated patients. RESULTS: During observation of median 3.19 versus 2.66 years, CDC stage B/C occurred in 6.4% versus 21.2%, AIDS in 1.8% versus 5.3%, death in 2.1% versus 6.4%, and AIDS or death of 'natural' causes in 2.8% versus 6.7% of the treated versus untreated patients. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, treatment reduced the risk of clinical progression by a factor of four- to five fold. During follow-up, the treated group had significantly higher CD4 counts and lower HIV-1 RNA levels. Intolerance/adverse events led to change or stop of at least one drug in 35% of treated patients. The entire regimen was interrupted at least once by 41% of patients, and 24% had no treatment anymore at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The initiation of HAART in asymptomatic patients with CD4 cell count > 350 x 10(6)/l significantly delayed clinical progression. However, the risk of severe clinical events with deferred therapy was low and must be counter balanced against the burden and toxicity of HAART