Changes in Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and Lipid Profile in Children Diagnosed with Short Stature Who Undergo Growth Hormone Therapy: One Single-Center Experience.

Serial measurements showed a statistically significant trend only for the sarcopenic index and height during rGH treatment, with no significant trend in other body composition parameters.

• All children had four body composition analyses at least 6 months apart.
• Sarcopenic index and height both reached statistical significance at p < 0.001.
• No statistically significant trend was observed for other body composition parameters across serial measurements.
• Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA).

Gender differences were observed in body composition changes during rGH therapy, with boys showing significantly greater increases in muscle mass and skeletal muscle mass, and girls showing greater increases in body fat.

• Change in muscle mass was statistically significantly higher for boys (p = 0.009).
• Change in skeletal muscle mass was statistically significantly higher for boys (p = 0.013).
• Change in body fat was statistically significantly higher for girls (p = 0.013).
• These gender-based differences were identified through comparison of body composition parameter changes during rGH treatment.

Maternal BMI was identified as a significant predictor of changes in HDL-C levels during rGH therapy.

• Linear regression analysis revealed mother's BMI as a significant predictor for changes in HDL-C levels (p = 0.032, β = -0.691).
• The negative beta coefficient (β = -0.691) indicates that higher maternal BMI was associated with lower HDL-C change during treatment.
• Family-related variables other than maternal BMI had no significant influence on body composition or lipid profile.

Environment, pubertal development, and most family-related variables had no significant influence on body composition or lipid profile during rGH therapy.

• Variables analyzed included age, gender, environment, mean rGH dose, height and BMI SDS, body composition parameters, and family-related variables.
• Only maternal BMI among family-related variables was significantly associated with any outcome.
• Pubertal development was not a significant influencing factor for body composition or lipid profile changes.

Body composition changes during rGH therapy did not differ by treatment indication.

• Children were grouped by their indication for rGH treatment, and no significant differences in body composition changes were found between groups.
• This finding suggests that the treatment indication does not modify the body composition response to rGH therapy in this cohort.
• The study was conducted at the Endocrinology Department of the Mures County Hospital, Romania.

rGH treatment had minimal and variable effects on lipid profile in children with short stature.

• Lipid profile was among the analyzed variables in this secondary data analysis.
• The only lipid parameter with a significant predictor identified was HDL-C, predicted by maternal BMI (p = 0.032, β = -0.691).
• The authors concluded that effects on lipid profile were 'minimal and variable.'