Effect of gabapentin on the biomarker of muscle anabolism IGF-1 in elderly men

• Grant number: 14/15733-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2014
• End date: October 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Dalva Lucia Rollemberg Poyares
• Grantee: Camila Kase
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass and strenght associated with aging. It is associated with loss of independence, increased risk of falls, infections, progressive decrease in quality of life and death. In the elderly, there is a decrease of hormones responsible for maintenance of skeletal muscles and physical capacity, such as GH, IGF-1 and testosterone. IGF-1 is an important agent in the end of the somatostatic route. The pulsatile secretion of GH, which stimulates the release of IGF-1 occurs in slow-wave sleep (SWS). The elderly present reduction of this stage of sleep, suggesting that this may contribute to the decrease of both GH and IGF-1. Gabapentin increases SWS, which could serve as an external stimulus for the increase of IGF-1.Objective: To analyze in healthy elderly men the effects of a single dose of gabapentin during the night on the levels of IGF-1 in the morning. Methods: A randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial in a crossover study design involving two groups, control and gabapentin will be held. The study will have 20 subjects, with 10 in each group. The volunteers will be male, aged over 60 years. Three blood samples will be collected at different times when the volunteers awake in the morning, to collect IGF-1 and IGFBP3. There will be polysomnography examinations on all nights. Results and Conclusions: to be presented.