MODULE SUPPLEMENT: ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
Is This Good Clinical Practice?

In 1990, Rudman and his colleagues published the results of a study in which they gave growth hormone to a sample of reported healthy older men aged 61-81. They did not report on the height of the participants. Their findings suggested improved well-being and lean body mass. Interestingly, a front page news article that lauded the study noted regarding one participant that "despite being only 4 feet 11 inches tall, he says he now walks quickly enough to cover ground more rapidly than younger and taller people" (NYT, July 6, 1990, A7). This raises an important issues of whether these subjects had been growth hormone deficient for some time and whether growth hormone would have a beneficial effect in normal elderly individuals. In addition, subjects also experienced an increase in their blood pressure and glucose levels, which are noted side effects of treatment.

The study did raise interest in the potential benefits of growth hormone and stimulated additional investigations. However, although there are some data suggesting potential positive effects of GH administration (Hennessey, Chromiak, et al., 2001), data tend not to support positive functional benefits (Papadakis, Grady, et al., 1996), and cautions have been raised because high normal serum IGF-I levels may be associated with neoplastic disorders (Becker, Uckert, et al., 2002; Rosen, 2000). Unfortunately, many individuals hear about growth hormone as a cure all for age changes and are requesting it from practitioners or ordering it through the Internet.