The relationships between body fat distribution, the adipokine adipsin and metabolic risks were assessed in patients with adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) before and after growth hormone (GH) treatment.

Sixty newly diagnosed AGHD patients were included in our study, 24 of whom were evaluated after at least one year of GH treatment. Anthropometric parameters, glucolipid metabolism and the adipokine adipsin were measured. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and body composition were evaluated using a dual-energy X-ray-absorptiometry (DXA) scanner.

At baseline, the higher VAT group had worse glucolipid metabolism parameters. Basal GH was negatively associated with VAT (r=-0.277, p = 0.045), while minimal correlations were found with fat mass depots, such as limbs and trunk fat (all p > 0.05). Adipsin was correlated with total body fat (r = 0.543, p < 0.001), VAT (r = 0.563, p < 0.001) and insulin resistance (r = 0.353, p = 0.006). The effect of GH administration on fat distribution was mainly reflected in the reduction in VAT. Partial improvements were found in lipid profiles, including increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and decreases in triglycerides (TGs) and lipoprotein(a), while glucose metabolism showed little change. The adipsin level also decreased significantly. The best predictors of VAT at baseline were trunk fat and IGF-I, and after treatment, VAT was predicted by decreased adipsin and an increase in lean mass.

(1) VAT is an important metabolic risk factor for AGHD patients. (2) GH treatment decreased body fat predominantly in the visceral and central fat depots. (3) The lipid profiles partially improved after treatment, while glucose metabolism showed little change.