Role of oestrogen therapy in the management of short stature in Turner syndrome.
It is now clear that parenteral growth hormone (GH) therapy stimulates growth and increases the adult stature of girls with Turner syndrome. In addition, oestrogens are given to almost all girls with this syndrome because of primary hypogonadism. Oestrogens influence both growth and maturation of the epiphyseal growth plates. Therefore, the form and timing of oestrogen therapy may have an important impact on the outcome of other growth-promoting therapies. To examine the impact of the timing of oestrogen initiation on growth, a randomized trial was conducted in patients with Turner syndrome who were receiving GH. Some patients received oestrogen at 12 years of age, while in others this treatment was not started until 15 years of age. Those girls that received oestrogen later were significantly taller as adults. The single most important factor in determining height gain appeared to be the number of years of GH therapy prior to the initiation of oestrogen treatment.
Chernausek
S D
SD
Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA. chernasd@uc.edu
Attie
K M
KM
D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D019382:Human Growth Hormone