Impact of perioperative treatment of recombinant human growth hormone on cell immune function and intestinal barrier function: randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over), published as a randomized controlled trial.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (GH) on cell immune function, intestinal barrier function, and outcome.

Why It Was Studied

A placebo-controlled randomized double-blind trial was performed, with 20 patients undergoing abdominal surgery enrolled in the study.

The patients in the control group received placebo injections.

Who Took Part

The study group was 20 patients.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults, middle-aged adults and older adults.

The serum GH and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, intestinal permeability, peripheral CD4+/CD8+ lymphocyte subsets, and routine blood and biochemistry analyses were evaluated before and after GH treatment.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and pilot.

The patients were allocated by chance, so the Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Neither the patients nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over), so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

A placebo (an inactive look-alike) gave the Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) group a baseline to be compared against.

It is described as a pilot, a small early test of whether a larger Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) study would be practical.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Cell Membrane Permeability, Human Growth Hormone, Immunity, Cellular, Intestines, Oxidative Stress, Perioperative Care and Pilot Projects.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) in 20 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2003 (World journal of surgery), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Exogenous HGH, sermorelin & older GHRPs (why they're passed over) compound page, all human trials.