SUMMARY
Growth hormone (GH) secretion declines progressively with aging, and many age-related changes resemble those of the adult GH deficiency syndrome. The literature published on clinical trials evaluating GH therapy in the healthy elderly is limited but suggests that it is associated with beneficial changes in body composition.

Numerous studies have shown that GH treatment can improve serum lipid spectrum, cardiovascular risk factors, physical capacity and quality of life. Moreover, GH reduces fatty mass, increases lean body mass and has a protective effect against age-related decline in muscle strength. Most reported side effects of GH substitution therapy are mild and transient, even reversible. The important question that these scientific facts raises is whether this fall in GH secretion with increasing years would benefit from GH replacement, or whether it is just an important physiological safety event of the normal aging process. Although GH cannot be recommended as „an antiaging therapy,” for better evaluation of stable, long term substitution therapy with GH, it is necessary to continue in clinical trials, which study body composition, quality of life and other biological endpoints.
Key words: growth hormone, replacement therapy, elderly, aging.
Lek Obz, 2021, 70, (7-8): 271 – 275

Juraj PAYER, Martin JANKOVSKÝ, Patrícia PÁLENÍKOVÁ, Martin KUŽMA
V. interná klinika LF UK a UNB, Bratislava, prednosta prof. MUDr. J. Payer, PhD., MPH, FRCP

Cite:
PAYER J., JANKOVSKÝ M., PÁLENÍKOVÁ P., KUŽMA M.: Specific aspects of growth hormone replacement therapy in the elderly. Lek Obz, 2021, 70, (7-8): 271 – 275