Skeletal Muscle Characteristics and Motor Performance After 2-Year Growth Hormone Treatment in Adults With Prader-Willi Syndrome

Abstract

Long-term GH treatment in adult PWS patients improves body composition and muscle size and quality and increases muscle strength and exercise tolerance independently from the GH secretory status.

Growth hormone treatment of Prader–Willi syndrome has long‐term, positive effects on body composition

“…Treatment with GH in adults with PWS is a relatively new concept, and most of the published papers have focused on the effect on body composition, with few exploring data on functional parameters, such as physical strength and quality of life. However, a 24-month study of 15 adults with PWS showed that their body composition, muscle size and quality improved with GH treatment and their muscle strength and exercise tolerance increased independently of their GH status (22). It is generally agreed that patients with PWS have some degree of GH insufficiency, and placebo-controlled studies have all shown the beneficial effects of GH therapy (14,15).…”

Long-term Echocardiographic and Cardioscintigraphic Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment in Adults With Prader-Willi Syndrome

“…In long-term investigations in PWS children, GH treatment for up to 6 years improved fat mass, motor development and muscle strength (10,44). In adults with the disease, GH therapy for up to 2 years decreased abdominal fat content and increased muscle fat content, muscle mass and functions (14,15,43,45,46), and advantaged the sustainable physical workload (47). Our results confirm the benefits of GH therapy on body composition and visceral fat and, like other long-term studies (11), suggest that GH effects occurred as early as after 1 year of therapy, and remained stable thereafter.…”

“…To date, there are no controlled studies of uninterrupted GH treatment through childhood, adolescence, and the transitional period into adulthood in PWS. Despite a shorter clinical experience, there is a strong likelihood of a sustained benefit exerted by GH treatment also in PWS adults (9), where GH treatment can favorably decrease adiposity (13,14) and improve muscle bulk, muscle power, and exercise tolerance (15). These changes are expected to favor the control of body mass in PWS.…”

Hormonal and Metabolic Responses to a Single Bout of Resistance Exercise in Prader-Willi Syndrome

“…Common endocrine abnormalities include growth hormone (GH) deficiency and hypogonadism [4]. GH treatment in PWS improves body composition, motor skills, and exercise capacity [5, 6]. However, exercise therapy may provide added physiological benefits beyond the improved body composition associated with the use of GH [7].…”