Growth Hormone Treatment of Adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome and Growth Hormone Deficiency Improves Lean Body Mass, Fractional Body Fat, and Serum Triiodothyronine without Glucose Impairment: Results from the United States Multicenter Trial

Context: GH replacement in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) children has well-defined benefits and risks and is used extensively worldwide. Its use in PWS adults has been limited by documentation of benefits and risks, as determined by larger multisite studies. Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of GH in GH-deficient genotype-positive PWS adults. Design: We conducted a 12-month open-label multicenter trial with 6-month dose-optimization and 6-month stable treatment periods. Setting: The study was conducted at outpatient treatment facilities at four U.S. academic medical centers. Patients: Lean and obese PWS adults with diverse cognitive skills, behavioral traits, and living arrangements were recruited from clinical populations. Intervention: Human recombinant GH (Genotropin) was initiated at 0.2 mg/d with monthly 0.2-mg increments to a maximum 1.0 mg/d, as tolerated. Main Outcomes Measures: Lean body mass and percent fat were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Res...