Growth hormone binding protein activity in obese children

We evaluated growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) activity in a group of obese children (12 boys and 12 girls, age 3.1–14.7 years, BMI 21.1–33.3, 11 prepubertal and 13 early pubertal) and in 26 age-matched normal weight children (14 boys and 12 girls, age 2.1–16.0 years, BM 114.2–21.4, 18 prepubertal and 8 early pubertal). All children were of normal stature. GHBP activity was significantly higher in the obese (39.1 ±1.1%) than in the control children (28.3±1.0%, p<0.0001). Mean serum GHBP was not different between boys and girls or between prepubertal and pubertal subjects. A positive correlation was found between BMI and GHBP levels only in the normal weight children (r=0.425, p<0.05). Baseline insulin concentrations in the obese children were 97.6±7.9 pmol/l (normal values, 45.0±18.6 pmol/l), and the mean insulin AUC following OGTT in the obese was 811.3±160.7 pmol/l (normal values, 373.1±150.1 pmol/l). Serum GHBP activity in the obese was not correlated with baseline serum insulin concentrations or with the insulin AUC following OGTT. In conclusion, we found that obese children have elevated GHBP activity, and speculate that this phenomenon may serve to compensate for their reduced GH secretion and accelerated GH clearance.