title: [Treatment of pituitary nanism: is it necessary to treat adrenal androgen deficiency?].
abstract: In 17 hypopituitary prepubescent children (14 males and 3 females), aged 14.5 +/- 2.1 years, treated for more than 2 years with human growth hormone (hGH), with bone ages of 10.4 +/- 1.4 years and plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA and/or DHA-S) levels lower than the normal values for bone age, low dose androgen therapy (norethandrolone 0.25 mg/kg/day 2 of 3 months) was added to the previous treatment. The speed of growth doubled during the first six months of associated treatment. For 15 patients so treated for one year,the height gain was 7.5 +/- 1.56 cm versus 4.47 +/- 1.2 cm the preceding year. During this first year of treatment, bone age, on an average, progressed less quickly than height. The combination of hGH and low grade androgenic steroid therapy allows for the acceleration of the growth in height without increasing the doses of hGH. A prolonged controlled trial of this therapy in hypopituitary prepubescent children with bone age of at least 8 years and known deficiency of androgenic secretion by the adrenal glands is suggested.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D001827:Body Height; D001846:Bone Development; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000172:deficiency*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009639:Norethandrolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D013006:Growth Hormone; D009639:Norethandrolone
vernacular_title: Traitement du nanisme hypophysaire: faut-il traiter le déficit des androgènes surrénaux?