Journal Article

MON-028 Symptom Improvement in an Ulcerative Colitis Patient Following 6-Month Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Therapy: A Case Report

Yuen, Kevin C J, Pan, Madeline, Sheffield-Moore, Melinda, Wright, Traver J, Danesi, Christopher P, Wexler, Tamara, McGovern, Kristen A, Randolph, Kathleen, Masel, Brent, Maxwell, Carrie, Batson, Richard D, Urban, Randall J, Miller, Aaron L, Pyles, Richard B

2025

Overview

Abstract Disclosure: M. Pan: None. R.J. Urban: None. T.J. Wright: None. R.B. Pyles: None. M. Sheffield-Moore: None. K. Randolph: None. K.A. McGovern: None. C.P. Danesi: None. T. Wexler: None. B. Masel: None. A.L. Miller: None. C. Maxwell: None. K.C. Yuen: None. R.D. Batson: None. Introduction Ulcerative colitis is a lifelong condition marked by continuous colonic lesions and inflammation in the mucosal and submucosal layers of the colon and rectum. Patients with this type of inflammatory bowel disease experience symptoms such as bloody diarrhea, rectal urgency, fecal incontinence, and abdominal pain. Common treatments include sulfasalazine and 5-aminosalicylates, with proctocolectomy considered in cases where medical management fails. This report aims to describe symptom improvement in an ulcerative colitis patient receiving growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) for 6 months. Clinical Case (Diagnostic evaluation, treatment, follow-up) A 45-year-old female with severe ulcerative colitis (total colectomy at age 16) and a remote history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) presented with symptoms of chronic, debilitating fatigue and brain fog. Based on her history of mTBI, she was tested for growth hormone deficiency (GHD). Adult-onset growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) was confirmed via the glucagon stimulation test (GST) with a peak GH level of 2.7 ng/mL (BMI 24.5 kg/m2). She underwent GHRT with daily injections of 0.6 mg recombinant human growth hormone for 6 months. Following the initial treatment period, she elected to continue GHRT based on notable improvements in fatigue, mood, gastrointestinal symptoms, and IGF-1 levels (pretreatment 52 ng/mL, posttreatment 182 ng/mL, range 118-298, mean 205). Prior to and following treatment, the patient underwent a modified 6-minute walk test and completed self-report measures including the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory (MFSI), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Quality of Life Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults (QoL-AGHDA), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). Substantial improvements (percent change) were seen in the modified 6-minute walk test, BFI Global Fatigue (12%), MFSI General Fatigue (41.67%), POMS Depression (53%), BDI-II/Depression (91%), POMS Tension-Anxiety (73%), POMS Vigor (160%), POMS Confusion (37.5%), POMS Total Mood Disturbance (72%), QoL-AGHDA (59%), and GSRS (50%). Most notably, she experienced marked decreases in abdominal pain (57%) and diarrhea (78%) scores on the GSRS. Clinical Lessons/Conclusions We present a case of a patient with ulcerative colitis who underwent GHRT for 6 months. The documented improvements in this patient’s symptoms, including abdominal pain and diarrhea as well as physical performance measures, highlight the potential benefits of GHRT for patients with confirmed AGHD who suffer from the long-term symptom burden of ulcerative colitis. Keywords: Ulcerative colitis, growth hormone, brain fog Presentation: Monday, July 14, 2025

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Subject: Abdomen / Diarrhea / Fatigue / Fecal incontinence / Growth hormones / Hormone replacement therapy / Inflammatory bowel disease