It is the investigator's career goal to obtain a faculty position in an academic medical center where she expects to develop an independent research program. A Research Career Award will not only allow for the development of enhanced research skills and knowledge from implementing the clinical research project, but will allow for formal didactic training in the basic skills required to develop expertise as an academic independent clinical researcher. Through participation in the IU Clinical Investigator Training Enhancement Program, she will receive the didactic training necessary for a career in clinical research. The environment at the IU School of Medicine (IUSM) is outstanding and she has been given full support from the Director of Pediatrics and the Director of the GCRC. She expects to develop expertise in the use of state-of-the-art metabolic techniques for investigating clinical endocrine questions. The proposed project aims to assess medical outcomes of growth hormone (GH) and GH releasing hormone (GHRH) therapy in patients with Crohn's disease. To date, there are limited data on the efficacy of GH in Crohn's disease. GHRH is a peptide that stimulates the synthesis and secretion of GH from the somatotrope cells of the anterior pituitary gland and is used therapeutically in some GH deficient patients. Interestingly, GHRH is also naturally found in the gut. It is not known if GHRH has local actions in the gut. It is hypothesized that treatment with human GH will be beneficial to patients with Crohn's disease by decreasing disease severity, improving growth, enhancing protein synthesis, and increasing bone mineral density. Furthermore, she hypothesizes that GHRH will have a comparable effect on protein synthesis and bone mineral density. It will possibly have a greater effect on disease severity because of the possibility that it may have local effects in the gut. The purpose of this study is to test these hypotheses in a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. The objectives of the study are to assess medical outcomes of the treatment, to evaluate growth, to measure bone turnover and bone density, to access changes in body composition, and to evaluate whole body proteolysis and protein synthesis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
1K23RR017250-01
Application #
6506131
Study Section
National Center for Research Resources Initial Review Group (RIRG)
Program Officer
Wilde, David B
Project Start
2002-09-01
Project End
2007-08-31
Budget Start
2002-09-01
Budget End
2003-08-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$120,527
Indirect Cost
Name
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005436803
City
Indianapolis
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
46202
Hannon, Tamara S; DiMeglio, Linda A; Pfefferkorn, Marian D et al. (2011) Effects of recombinant human growth hormone on protein turnover in the fasting and fed state in adolescents with Crohn disease. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 24:633-40
Hannon, Tamara S; Bacha, Fida; Lin, Yan et al. (2008) Hyperinsulinemia in African-American adolescents compared with their American white peers despite similar insulin sensitivity: a reflection of upregulated beta-cell function? Diabetes Care 31:1445-7
Wagoner, Heather A; Steinmetz, Rosemary; Bethin, Kathleen E et al. (2007) GNAS mutation detection is related to disease severity in girls with McCune-Albright syndrome and precocious puberty. Pediatr Endocrinol Rev 4 Suppl 4:395-400
Hannon, Tamara S; Dimeglio, Linda A; Pfefferkorn, Marian D et al. (2007) Acute effects of enteral nutrition on protein turnover in adolescents with Crohn disease. Pediatr Res 61:356-60
Hannon, Tamara S; Danadian, Kapriel; Suprasongsin, Chittiwat et al. (2007) Growth hormone treatment in adolescent males with idiopathic short stature: changes in body composition, protein, fat, and glucose metabolism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 92:3033-9
Hannon, Tamara S; Janosky, Janine; Arslanian, Silva A (2006) Longitudinal study of physiologic insulin resistance and metabolic changes of puberty. Pediatr Res 60:759-63
Hannon, Tamara S; Bacha, Fida; Lee, So Jung et al. (2006) Use of markers of dyslipidemia to identify overweight youth with insulin resistance. Pediatr Diabetes 7:260-6
Hannon, Tamara S; Rao, Goutham; Arslanian, Silva A (2005) Childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pediatrics 116:473-80