Skip to main content

Table 2 Overview of the main studies that investigate the effect of vitamin D metabolites on GHD in children

From: Vitamin D and growth hormone in children: a review of the current scientific knowledge

Reference

Study area, study design

Number of patients

Vitamin D metabolite considered

At diagnosis

After GH treatment

Interrelation between vitamin D/GH

Other remarks

Limits

Wójcik [72]

Poland, prospective cohort

121 GHD subjects (6–18 years old)

25(OH)D

–

71 subjects had vitamin D < 30 ng/mL despite rGH treatment and vitamin D3 supplementation

–

Possible effect of vitamin D supplementation in caries prevention in GHD patients

 

Hamza [73]

Egypt, prospective case–control

50 idiopathic prepubertal GHD and 50 healthy controls (3.6–10 years old)

25(OH)D

42 GHD subjects had 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL

23 GHD subjects remained with vitamin D < 30 ng/mL (all had an increase in 25(OH)D values)

Positive association between 25(OH)D and peak GH levels

Positive effect of 25(OH)D on height expressed in the SDS at diagnosis

 

Delecroix [74]

France, retrospective

50 GHD subjects due to pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (mean age: 5.4 ± 4.9 years old)

25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D

26 subjects had 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL

–

No relationship between 25(OH)D and IGF-1 values

Positive association of 1,25(OH) 2D and the 1,25(OH) 2D/25(OH)D ratio with peak GH levels

–

Retrospective

Not known if subjects underwent vitamin D supplementation before recruitment

Witkowska-Sedek [75]

Poland, prospective cohort

53 GHD subjects (4.75–16.58 years old)

25(OH)D

Mean 25(OH)D value 24.6 ± 7.54 ng/mL

Mean 25(OH)D values after 6 months of rGH therapy 28.8 ± 8.09 ng/mL

Mean 25(OH)D values after 12 months of rGH therapy 27.2 ± 8.09 ng/mL

–

Positive effect of vitamin D supplementation dosage given in the first year of rGH therapy on BALP values during the first 6 months

All patients in the first 12 months of rGH treatment received cholecalciferol supplementation

Witkowska-Sędek [76]

Poland, prospective cohort

30 GHD subjects (4.8–16.6 years old)

25(OH)D

Mean 25(OH)D value 24.2 ± 7.8 ng/mL

25(OH)D increases significantly after 6 months of rGH therapy to 28.5 ± 5.29 ng/mL

Positive effect of 25(OH)D on GH

Positive effect of 25(OH)D on ICTP values

Vitamin D3 supplementation was recommended prior to and during rGH treatment

Witkowska-Sędek [77]

Poland, retrospective

84 GHD subjects (4–17 years old)

25(OH)D

73–75 subjects had 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL

–

Positive association between vitamin D and baseline IGF-1 values

No effect of vitamin D on the maximum peak of GH after a stimulus test

 

Ciresi [78]

Italy, prospective cohort

80 GHD subjects (mean age 10.3 years old)

25(OH)D

60 subjects had 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL

40 subjects remained with vitamin D < 30 ng/mL (all had an increase in vitamin D values)

Positive association between vitamin D and baseline GH values

No effect of vitamin D on IGF-1 values

 

Wei [79]

Japan, prospective cohort

12 GHD subjects (7.5–13.8 years old)

25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D

Mean 25(OH)D value 26.3 ± 10.9 ng/mL

Mean 1,25(OH)2D value 59.4 ± 10.2 pmol/L

No variation in 25(OH)D values

1,25(OH)2D increase after rGH therapy

Positive association between 1,25(OH) 2D and an increase in IGF-1 values

PTH values reduced after rGH treatment; the authors hypothesize a PTH-independent GH-Vitamin D correlation

 

Boot [80]

Netherlands, prospective cohort

40 GHD subjects (mean age 7.9 years old)

1,25(OH)2D

Mean 1,25(OH)2D value 96.2 ± 25.8 pmol/L

1,25(OH)2D increases after rGH therapy

Positive association between 1,25(OH) 2D and an increase in IGF-1 values

Stable PTH values after rGH treatment; the authors hypothesize a PTH-independent GH-Vitamin D correlation

 

Saggese [81]

Italy, prospective cohort

26 GHD subjects (6.5–10.7 years old)

25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D

Mean 25(OH)D value 31.55 ± 7.01 ng/mL

Mena 1,25(OH)2D: 64.7 ± 15.8 pmol/L

No variation in 25(OH)D values

1,25(OH)2D increase at 12 months of therapy (not previously)

Positive effect of 1,25(OH) 2D on growth velocity

–

Reference values are different from the most recent ones

Burstein [82]

USA, prospective cohort

12 GHD subjects (mean age 10.5 years)

25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D

Mean 25(OH)D value 49.0 ± 2.4 ng/mL

No variation in 25(OH)D

1,25(OH)2D increase only in the first week of high-dose hGH therapy

No effect of 25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D on GH

–

 

Chipman [83]

USA, prospective cohort

7 GHD subjects (3.8–16.7 years old)

25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D

Mean 25(OH)D value 20.2 ± 6.5 ng/mL

Mean 1,25(OH)2D value 63.7 ± 19.3 pmol/L

No variation in 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D values

No effect of 25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D and GH

Stable PTH values after hGH treatment; the authors hypothesize a PTH-independent GH-vitamin D correlation

Before hGH therapy, patients were treated with Ca, phosphorus and sodium supplementation

Gertner [84]

USA, prospective cohort

9 GHD subjects (9–18 years old)

25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D

Mean 25(OH)D value 35.5 ± 8.9 ng/mL

Mean 1,25(OH)2D value 44.4 ± 27.9 pmol/L

No variation in 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D values

No effect of 25(OH)D 1,25(OH)2D on GH

Stable PTH values after hGH treatment; the authors hypothesize a PTH-independent GH-vitamin D correlation

Before hGH therapy, patients were treated with Ca supplementation