Fat distribution in short-stature children born small for gestational age

Pediatr Int. 2020 Dec;62(12):1351-1356. doi: 10.1111/ped.14337.

Abstract

Background: Children born small for gestational age (SGA) with catch-up growth are at high risk for developing obesity; however, the characteristics of body composition, especially fat distribution, before and after growth hormone (GH) treatment in SGA children without catch-up growth remains largely unknown.

Methods: Anthropometric characteristics, body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorption, and fat distribution by computed tomography at the umbilical level were examined in 27 prepubertal short-stature children born SGA before and 1 year after GH treatment.

Results: Before GH treatment, short-stature SGA children had lean phenotypes, and both visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were significantly lower than the age- and sex-matched Japanese reference values. Growth hormone treatment significantly increased height standard deviation scores (SDS), without affecting body mass index SDS. Percentage fat mass decreased with GH treatment; however, fat mass was not altered. Both VAT and SAT were significantly lower than the reference values after GH treatment. The ratio of VAT over SAT significantly increased by GH treatment.

Conclusions: Both VAT and SAT were within or below the age- and sex-matched Japanese reference values in short-stature children born SGA before and after GH treatment, indicating that GH treatment may not have unfavorable effects on adiposity in short-stature children born SGA, although it may alter fat distribution.

Keywords: body composition; fat distribution; growth hormone; short stature; small for gestational age.

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / diagnostic imaging
  • Adipose Tissue / drug effects*
  • Adiposity / drug effects
  • Body Composition / drug effects*
  • Body Height / drug effects
  • Body Mass Index
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Gestational Age
  • Growth Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Human Growth Hormone / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Small for Gestational Age / growth & development*
  • Intra-Abdominal Fat / drug effects
  • Japan
  • Male
  • Reference Values
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal / drug effects
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Substances

  • Human Growth Hormone