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HealthyPhase 4NCT01853566

Effects of Growth Hormone Administration on Muscle Strength and Body Composition in Men Over 50 Years Old

A Phase 4 study testing growth hormone in people with Healthy, run by Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro at 1 site in Brazil.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The growth hormone (GH) secretion declines gradually with age, with studies demonstrating a progressive reduction of 14% secretion per decade of life beginning in the second decade. Other studies suggest a disruption in GH secretion in elderly people. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 50 to 70 years, men only
Conditions the study is for
Healthy
What is being tested?
growth hormone
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
13 participants
Where
1 siteBrazil
Study dates
Jan 2012to Jun 2013
Phase
Phase 4
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 50 to 70 years
  • Men only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Healthy and non-sedentary men aged 50-70 years

Who cannot join

  • pituitary disease, GH use in the last 12 months, severe acute disease, hepatic and/or renal chronic disease, uncontrolled systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disorders, history of cancer, non-treated hypogonadism and the presence of any other disease that could interfere with the somatotrophic axis.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Brazil1 site
  • Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho - UFRJ

    Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-913

Other trials in Brazil

About this study

The growth hormone (GH) secretion declines gradually with age, with studies demonstrating a progressive reduction of 14% secretion per decade of life beginning in the second decade. Other studies suggest a disruption in GH secretion in elderly people. These findings suggest a possible association between growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and the ageing process.GH replacement is well known to improve body composition, leading to a decrease in total body fat and an increase in lean body mass. However, GH replacement has only shown an effect on muscle strength in GH-deficient adults subjected to long-term GH therapy. Few studies have evaluated the effect of GH replacement on muscle strength in elderly people engaged in a program of exercise training.Our purpose is to evaluate the effect of GH therapy on muscle strength in healthy, non-sedentary men over 50 years old.

Read the detailed description

At baseline, subjects are submitted to evaluation of GH secretion, testosterone level, body composition, and muscle strength. Absence of GHD and normal testosterone levels were necessary for the inclusion in the study. These parameters will be evaluated after 6 months of GH use x placebo.

Conditions
Healthy
Being tested
growth hormone
Keywords
Muscle Strength, Growth Hormone, men
Medical subject headings
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • growth hormoneDrug

    Also called somatotropin

    GH group intervention: use of GH - initial dose of 0.5 UI/day (0.2 mg/day), with readjustments to 1.0 UI/day (0.4 mg/day) and 1.5 UI/day (0.6 mg/day) after 1 and 2 months of treatment, respectively. The last GH dose will be maintained until the end of the study. These GH dosages were based on the dose used for adults of the same age with GHD. Subjects will be re-evaluated after 6 months of GH therapy or placebo according to muscle strength and body composition .The other group received placebo using the same scheme as the GH group.

Study groups in NCT01853566
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
growth hormoneExperimentalGH group received an initial dose of 0.5 units (UI)/day (0.2 mg/day), with readjustments to 1.0 UI/day (0.4 mg/day) and 1.5 UI/day (0.6 mg/day) after 1 and 2 months of treatment, respectively. The last GH dose will be maintained until the end of the study (6 months).
Receives: Drug: growth hormone

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Muscle strength after GH replacement

    Muscle strength is evaluated for the maximum strength based on the concept of maximum repetition (1 MR) (i.e., the maximum load that can be performed using the correct technique for an exercise).The exercises evaluated were bench press and leg press. To determine the load associated with 10 MR, each subject can initially performed 10 repetitions of each exercise with a sub maximum load, which is considered a load that was possible to mobilise. Then, the loads are progressively increased and with a maximum of 3 trials, the load of 10 MR is reached. During the 10 MR test, a 2-5 minute interval is provided between the attempts of each exercise. After the load was obtained for a determined exercise, intervals not less than 10 minutes were given before moving on to the next exercise.

    Measured: after 6 months of GH replacement

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. body composition after growth hormone replacement

    Body mass index is calculated using Quetelet's formula (weight/height2) and the percentage of body fat was calculated using the adipometer on seven cutaneous folds (tricipital, subscapular, suprailiac, pectoral, axillary, abdominal and thigh) according to the Pollock and Jackson protocol. Abdominal circumference is measured using a non-elastic tape at the greatest diameter between the last ribs and the iliac crests. The same person examined all subjects.

    Measured: after 6 months of growth hormone

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted15 May 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2012
  3. Primary completionJun 2013
  4. Study completionJun 2013

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
13 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01853566
Sponsor's protocol ID
GH and men
Status last verified
Aug 2014
First submitted
7 May 2013
Last updated
3 Sep 2014
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • Tavares AB, Micmacher E, Biesek S, Assumpcao R, Redorat R, Veloso U, Vaisman M, Farinatti PT, Conceicao F. Effects of Growth Hormone Administration on Muscle Strength in Men over 50 Years Old. Int J Endocrinol. 2013;2013:942030. doi: 10.1155/2013/942030. Epub 2013 Dec 8.

    PubMed 24382963

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 4 study testing growth hormone in people with Healthy, run by Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro at 1 site in Brazil.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Sep 2014. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Brazil. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment is approved, to learn more about its long-term benefits and risks in everyday use.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Muscle strength after GH replacement (time frame: after 6 months of GH replacement). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01853566, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Sep 2014.

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