Effect of exogenous growth hormone and exercise on lean mass and muscle function in children with burns

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Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that the administration of recombinant human growth hormone (rHGH) and exercise would increase lean body mass (LBM) and muscle strength in burned children to a greater extent than rHGH or exercise separately. Children, ages 7–17 yr, with >40% body surface area burned, were randomized into groups. One group (GHEX, n = 10) participated in a 12-wk in-hospital physical rehabilitation program supplemented with an exercise program and received 0.05 mg · kg−1 · day−1of rHGH. A second exercising group (SALEX, n = 13) received saline. A third group (GH, n = 10) received a similar dose of rHGH as GHEX and participated in a 12-wk, home-based physical rehabilitation program without exercise. The fourth group (Saline, n = 11) received saline and participated in a 12-wk, home-based physical rehabilitation program without exercise. The mean (±SE) percent change in lean body mass after 12 wk was not significantly different between GHEX (9.0 ± 2.1%), SALEX (5.4 ± 1.6%), and GH (5.8 ± 1.8%) groups ( P = 0.33). However, the mean percent change in muscle strength was significantly greater in the GHEX (36.2 ± 5.4%) and SALEX (42.6 ± 10.0%) groups than in the GH (−7.4 ± 4.7%) or Saline (6.7 ± 4.4%) groups ( P = 0.008). In summary, rHGH GHEX, SALEX, and GH alone produced similar improvements in LBM. However, muscle strength was only increased via exercise.