Background: Growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD) acquired at adult age as a result of pathological processes of the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus causes changes that are associated with worsening cardiovascular risk. They include increase in abdominal obesity, in total and LDL cholesterol, and in C-reactive protein (CRP). GHD adults have also thickening of the carotid arteries. It has been postulated that GHD is the link between hypopituitarism and the increase in cardio- and cerebro-vascular mortality observed in hypopituitarism. However, several confounding factors exist, such associated pituitary deficits and replacement of other hormones, or surgical or radiological therapies used to treat the underlying pituitary of hypothalamic pathologies.

Objective: To determine the consequences of lifetime isolated GHD on the metabolic and cardiovascular status of adult members of a large Brazilian cohort with severe isolated GH deficiency due to a homozygous mutation in the GH-releasing hormone receptor gene.

Design: Twenty-two GH näive adult dwarfs (10 men and 12 women age 44 ± 12 yr) were compared with twenty-two healthy volunteers (10 men and 12 women, age 45 ± 12 yr) living in the same area.

Results: GHD subjects had increased abdominal obesity, higher total and LDL cholesterol, and higher CRP than controls. They did not have an increase in carotid wall thickness, and no evidence of premature atherosclerosis as evaluated by exercise echocardiography.

Conclusions: In this homogeneous cohort residing in a rural area of Brazil, lifetime, untreated severe isolated GHD is not associated with evidence of premature atherosclerosis despite unfavorable cardiovascular risk profile.