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Pediatric and Adolescent Endocrinology

SUN-204 - Longitudinal Changes in Hemoglobin A1c during Growth Hormone Therapy in Children

Sunday, June 14, 2026
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CT
Location: ENDOExpo; Poster Floor

    Abstract Poster Presenter(s)

  • Han sol Kim, MD

    Clinical Fellow
    Jeonbuk National University Hospital
    jeonju, Republic of Korea

    • Senior Author/Primary Investigator(s)

  • MK

    Minsun Kim, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Jeonbuk National University Hospital
    jeonju, Republic of Korea

    • Co-Author(s)

  • MK

    Minsun Kim, MD, PhD

    Professor
    Jeonbuk National University Hospital
    jeonju, Republic of Korea

  • Mp

    Minhee park, RN

    Jeonbuk National University Hospital
    jeonju, Republic of Korea

  • SK

    Sunyoung Kim, PhD

    Jeonbuk National University Hospital
    jeonju, Republic of Korea

Disclosure(s):
Han sol Kim, MD: No financial relationships to disclose
Background

Growth hormone (GH) therapy is widely used in pediatric patients; however, concerns persist regarding its long-term effects on glucose metabolism. Evidence from pediatric cohorts with longitudinal hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) assessment remains limited.

Objective

To evaluate HbA1c levels during GH therapy and to identify clinical factors associated with HbA1c in routine pediatric practice.

Methods

We retrospectively studied pediatric patients receiving GH therapy who had at least one HbA1c measurement during follow-up. Longitudinal HbA1c trends were analyzed with repeated measurements accounted for at the individual level. Age, body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), sex, and duration of GH therapy were examined as clinical correlates. BMI-SDS was calculated using the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts. Given variability in GH dosing inherent to routine clinical care, analyses were designed to characterize overall HbA1c trends rather than to assess dose–response relationships. As a secondary analysis, baseline and approximately 1-year follow-up HbA1c values were compared in paired samples.

Results

A total of 788 children underwent more than 4,000 HbA1c measurements during GH therapy. HbA1c levels showed minimal change over time and were not clearly associated with the duration of GH therapy. Higher BMI-SDS and older age were independently associated with higher HbA1c levels. In paired analyses (n = 458), HbA1c increased modestly over one year; however, the observed change was small and not clinically meaningful.

Conclusions

In this pediatric cohort with longitudinal HbA1c assessment, GH therapy was not associated with clinically meaningful deterioration in glycemic status under routine clinical monitoring. HbA1c levels were more strongly related to age and BMI-SDS than to the duration of GH exposure, supporting the glycemic safety of GH therapy in routine clinical practice.

*Unless otherwise noted, all abstracts presented at ENDO must not be released to the press or the public until the date and time of presentation. For oral presentations, the abstracts are embargoed until the session begins. The Endocrine Society reserves the right to lift the embargo on specific abstracts that are selected for promotion prior to or during ENDO.*