Reduced high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels following weekly somapacitan in adults with growth hormone deficiency: a prospective pilot study.

Abstract

Introduction: Growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD) elevates high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, an inflammatory marker. While daily GH replacement has been shown to reduce hs-CRP levels, the effects of long-acting GH therapyon hs-CRP remain unclear.

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to investigate the association between a once-weekly GH derivative, somapacitan, and hs-CRP in adult patients with GHD.

Methods: This study prospectively evaluated serum hs-CRP levels and metabolic parameters in adult patients with untreated GHD during a 6-month course of weekly somapacitan therapy.

Results: Among 13 adult patients with GHD (9 men; 10 with adult-onset GHD), serum hs-CRP levels significantly decreased following somapacitan therapy (0.24 [0.07-0.51] to 0.07 [0.06-0.25] mg/dL, P <.001), whereas serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 levels (80 ± 53 to 148 ± 74 ng/mL, P <.001) and IGF-1 SD scores (- 2.8 ± 2.3 to - 0.4 ± 1.7, P <.001) significantly increased. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels showed slight but statistically insignificant decreases after the treatment. Changes in hs-CRP levels correlated significantly with changes in IGF-1 SD scores (r = -.66, P =.01), AST (r =.67, P =.01), and ALT (r =.74, P =.004). In partial correlation analyses, changes in hs-CRP levels remained significantly associated with ALT changes (r =.59, P =.04), independent of IGF-1 SD score changes.

Conclusion: The reduction in hs-CRP levels after somapacitan therapy for GHD suggests that somapacitan has a protective role against inflammation, possibly mediated by the liver.