Different growth hormone sensitivity of target tissues and growth hormone response to glucose in HIV-infected patients with and without lipodystrophy

Growth hormone (GH)-secretion in HIV-lipodystrophy is impaired; however, GH-sensitivity of GH-target tissues remains to be evaluated. We measured overnight fasting concentrations of GH-sensitive insulin-like growth-factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) including GH binding protein (GHBP), a marker of GH-receptor sensitivity, in antiretroviral treated HIV-infected patients with (LIPO) and without lipodystrophy (NONLIPO) and antiretroviral naive HIV-infected patients (NAIVE). Three h GH-suppression tests using oral glucose were undertaken to determine dynamics of GH-secretion. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were increased in LIPO compared with NONLIPO (p <0.05), but did not differ significantly between NONLIPO and NAIVE. Area under the curve of GH (AUC-GH) during the GH-suppression test was decreased in LIPO compared with NONLIPO (p <0.05). Ratio of limb to trunk fat, which was decreased in LIPO compared to NONLIPO and NAIVE (p <0.001), correlated positively with AUC-GH and rebound-GH (p <0.05). All groups displayed suppression of GH during the suppression test (p <0.05) and all groups, except LIPO, displayed a rebound of GH (p <0.05), which probably is explained by persistently increased plasma glucose in LIPO compared with NONLIPO and NAIVE (p <0.01). GHBP was inversely correlated with AUC-GH (p <0.01). Our data suggest that GH-target tissues in LIPO are at least as GH-sensitive as in HIV-infected patients without lipodystrophy.