Estradiol and pubertal growth in girls.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine estradiol levels and assess their relationship to pubertal growth in girls.


METHODS
Thirty-seven 24-hour profiles of serum 17β-estradiol were retrospectively analyzed in relation to growth in 27 healthy girls admitted for short/tall stature (n = 20) or recruited as healthy volunteers at Göteborg Pediatric Growth Research Center (GP-GRC).


METHODS
Birth weight and length above -2 SDS, gestational age 37-42 weeks, prepubertal height and weight within ± SDS and normal growth hormone secretion. Serum estradiol was determined by a validated ultrasensitive extraction radioimmunoassay (detection limit 4 pmol/l). A sixth-grade polynomial was fitted to each girl's growth data. Growth velocity and age at peak height velocity (PHV) was calculated.


RESULTS
A dose-response model was used to find the morning 17β-estradiol level at which half of the maximal pubertal growth up to PHV had occurred, EC(50), which was 20 pmol/l with a 95% confidence interval of 13-31. When 17β-estradiol exceeds early pubertal levels (Tanner breast stage 2, 10-51 pmol/l), less than 25% of the potential pubertal growth velocity up to PHV remains.


CONCLUSIONS
Morning 17β-estradiol in the low early pubertal range (13-31 pmol/l) is associated with increasing growth velocity.
Göteborg Pediatric Growth Research Center, Institute of Clinical Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. anna-karin.albin @ skane.se
Anna-Karin
AK
Albin
Aimon
A
Niklasson
Ulf
U
Westgren
Ensio
E
Norjavaara
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D004958:Estradiol