Replacement oral ethinyloestradiol therapy for gonadal dysgenesis: growth and adrenal androgen studies.
We have studied growth and adrenal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) responses to iv synthetic adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH, Cortrosyn) in 6 girls with gonadal dysgenesis before and during treatment with low-dose ethinyloestradiol (EOe2). In all patients there was a statisfactory induction of secondary sexual characteristics including increase in breasts and public hair and onset of withdrawal bleeding within 6 months of therapy. Height velocity increased from 2.8 +/- 0.9 cm/year pre-treatment to 5.3 +/- 1.5 cm/year (P less than 0.02) in the first year. There was deceleration to 1.9 +/- 1.1 cm/year in the second year. There was no disproportionate advancement in bone age and thus, presumably, no loss of ultimate height. We could demonstrate no change in basal or ACTH-stimulated levels of DHA, a specific adrenal androgen, to account for the increased public hair and growth in these patients.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*
D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone