The effect of puberty and short-term oral administration of testosterone undecanoate on GH tests and sex-steroid related plasma compounds in GH deficient patients.
In twelve boys and two girls, with idiopathic (partial) growth hormone deficiency diagnosed at prepubertal age, we studied the effect of spontaneous puberty (six patients) as well as the effect of sex-steroid priming (eight patients). Six boys received testosterone undecanoate and two girls ethinyloestradiol for 5 days. Two pubertal patients showed a normal GH response, the patients primed with testosterone or oestrogen did not, despite a distinct effect on sex-steroid related plasma compounds. Reevaluation of GH status appears to be worthwhile in GH deficient patients presenting with short stature, growth deceleration at an early pubertal age and delayed sexual maturation. Sex-steroid priming is unlikely to alter the outcome of GH testing, whenever marked growth deceleration is evident at prepubertal age.
D000293:Adolescent; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D013006:Growth Hormone; C010792:testosterone undecanoate