Treatment of Excessively Tall Girls and Boys With Sex Hormones

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 1202-1210
Author(s):  
Andrea Prader ◽  
Milo Zachmann

Sex hormones in high doses administered over a period of one to two years are today the only effective medical way to decrease future adult height in excessively tall adolescents. Such treatment is not physiological and should be considered only if a careful growth prediction gives an excessive adult height that is a severe psychological or physical handicap to the patient. The most effective and safest way of treatment is not yet fully worked out, but the principles are simple: The hormone preparations used should be as natural as possible, the dosage as low as possible for producing the desired effect, and treatment should start only after the spontaneous onset of puberty and be discontinued at a bone age of about 15 years in girls and 17 years in boys. The risks are probably similar to those of the contraceptive pill and of pregnancy. The short-term risks are small in the adolescent age period. Fertility does not seem to be impaired. The long-term risks are not yet completely known.

1979 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Hanker ◽  
G. Schellong ◽  
H. P. G. Schneider

ABSTRACT Sixteen excessively tall girls were treated with 0.3 mg of ethinyloestradiol daily and 10 mg of norethisterone for 5 days every 3 weeks for 7–26 months. The reduction of adult height varied from 0–12.3 cm, depending on the bone age (115/12–148/12) before treatment. The more advanced the bone age was the less final adult height was reduced. The functional state of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis was assessed by standardized LH-RH testing immediately after termination of therapy as well as 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks thereafter. Basal levels of oestradiol and prolactin were recorded before each test. Absent LH-responses to LH-RH were observed in all girls when therapy was stopped. Four to eight weeks later the LH responses had normalized in 13 girls and 12 weeks after therapy normal LH responses were found in 14 girls. Mean basal oestradiol levels were low (20 ± 9 pg/ml) (X̄ ± sd) at the end of therapy but increased significantly (P < 0.0025) to levels similar to different stages of the menstrual cycle after 4 weeks. In contrast mean basal prolactin levels were elevated (21±9 ng/ml) (X̄ ± sd) when therapy was stopped. Within one week a significant (P < 0.01) decrease to values averaging 13 ± 4 ng/ml (sd) was seen. A further but only moderate decline occurred until the 12th week after therapy. The decrease of prolactin paralleled to same extend the increase of endogenous oestradiol. All girls experienced spontaneous menstrual bleedings within 3 to 22 weeks after termination of therapy. In all cases but one menses have been regular since. The data presented suggest that no major functional disturbance of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis has to be expected after long-term steroid treatment in excessively tall girls.


Author(s):  
Carolina O. Ramos ◽  
Ana P M Canton ◽  
Carlos Eduardo Seraphim ◽  
Aline Guimarães Faria ◽  
Flavia Rezende Tinano ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Longer-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) have been widely used for central precocious puberty (CPP) treatment. However, the follow-up of patients after this treatment are still scarce. Our aim was to describe anthropometric, metabolic, and reproductive follow-up of CPP patients after treatment with leuprorelin acetate 3-month depot (11.25 mg). Methods Twenty-two female patients with idiopathic CPP were treated with leuprorelin acetate 3-month depot (11.25 mg). Their medical records were retrospectively evaluated regarding clinical, hormonal, and imaging aspects before, during, and after GnRHa treatment until adult height (AH). Results At the diagnosis of CPP, the mean chronological age (CA) was 8.2 ± 1.13 year, and mean bone age (BA) was 10.4 ± 1.4 year. Mean height SDS at the start and the end of GnRHa treatment was 1.6 ± 0.8 and 1.3 ± 0.9, respectively. The mean duration of GnRHa treatment was 2.8 ± 0.8 year. Mean predicted adult heights (PAH) at the start and the end of GnRH treatment was 153.2 ± 8.6 and 164.4 ± 7.3 cm, respectively (p<0.05). The mean AH was 163.2 ± 6.2 cm (mean SDS: 0.1 ± 1). All patients were within their target height (TH) range. There was a decrease in the percentage of overweight and obesity from the diagnosis until AH (39–19% p>0.05). At the AH, the insulin resistance and high LDL levels were identified in 3/17 patients (17.6%) and 2/21 patients (9.5%), respectively. The mean CA of menarche was 12.2 ± 0.5 years. At the AH, PCOS was diagnosed in one patient (4.8%). Conclusions Long-term anthropometric, metabolic, and reproductive follow-up of patients with CPP treated with longer-acting GnRHa revealed effectivity, safety, and favorable outcomes.


1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Tena-Sempere ◽  
L Pinilla ◽  
E Aguilar

ABSTRACT In the present work in vitro GH pituitary responsiveness to GHRH in short-term (STO) and long-term orchidectomized (LTO) male rats was compared. In agreement with previous data obtained in vivo, pituitaries from STO rats showed reduced GH release after GHRH stimulation while LTO male pituitaries presented responses similar to those from control animals after maximal GHRH (10-6 m) stimulation. This suggests that compensatory mechanisms have taken place, probably at the pituitary level, in order to restore GH pituitary responsiveness to high doses of GHRH. However, LTO male rats showed a reduced sensitivity to GHRH relative to intact males, as indicated by a higher EC50 vs controls (40·82 ± 12·03 nm vs 0·35 ± 0·09 nm in intact males). We aimed to investigate further the events involved in the compensatory mechanisms that take place in LTO rats. For this purpose, we compared in vitro GH secretion by pituitaries from intact and LTO male rats after stimulation with specific activators of the signal transduction pathways related to GH release. Forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic-adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate were more effective in eliciting GH secretion (expressed in terms of percent increment over basal GH release) in LTO males, whereas phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was completely ineffective in stimulating GH release in this group. Thus, our results clearly showed that long-term orchidectomy enhances the effectiveness of the cAMP pathway in inducing GH release while it completely blunts that of the protein kinase C pathway. In conclusion, orchidectomy decreased the effectiveness of GHRH in eliciting GH release in vitro. However, long-term orchidectomy activated compensatory mechanisms that restored complete GH pituitary responsiveness to maximal GHRH stimulation. These mechanisms seem not to operate in STO rats. An increased effectiveness of the cAMP pathway in eliciting GH release in LTO rats is probably involved in the aforementioned compensatory mechanisms.


2010 ◽  
Vol 06 (01) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Michelle L Klein ◽  
Robert Rapaport ◽  
◽  

Short-term studies of children born small for gestational age (SGA) who do not adequately catch up have shown that growth hormone (GH) treatment over a range of doses is both safe and effective at increasing growth velocity and height standard deviation (SD). Long-term studies have shown an improvement in adult height compared with untreated controls. Predictors of growth response include height and weight at start of GH treatment, pre-treatment growth velocity, target height, and pre-pubertal years treated with GH. Height prediction models are being developed to help maximize GH treatment response. While some short-term studies of GH treatment in SGA children have shown abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism, long-term studies have demonstrated that these changes were transient. GH treatment has been shown to be safe and effective in increasing adult height of children born SGA. Follow-up is needed for assessment of the long-term effects of GH treatment.


The Lancet ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 364 (9444) ◽  
pp. 1513-1518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Venn ◽  
Fiona Bruinsma ◽  
George Werther ◽  
Priscilla Pyett ◽  
Donna Baird ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ditte Slabbekoorn ◽  
Stephanie H.M. van Goozen ◽  
Jos Megens ◽  
Louis J.G. Gooren ◽  
Peggy T. Cohen-Kettenis

2002 ◽  
pp. 625-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
MB Ranke ◽  
CJ Partsch ◽  
A Lindberg ◽  
HG Dorr ◽  
M Bettendorf ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the factors influencing true adult height (HT) after long-term (from 1987 to 2000) GH treatment in Ullrich-Turner syndrome (UTS) based on modalities conceived in the 1980s. DESIGN: Out of 347 near-adult (>16 Years) patients from 96 German centres, whose longitudinal growth was documented within KIGS (Pharmacia International Growth Database), 188 (45, X=59%; bone age >15 Years) were available for further anthropometric measurements. RESULTS: At a median GH dose of 0.88 (10th/90th percentiles: 0.47/1.06) IU/kg per week, a gain of 6.0 (-1.3/+13) cm above the projected adult height was recorded. Variables were recorded at GH start, after 1 Year GH, puberty onset, and last visit on GH therapy. At these visits, the median ages were 11.7, 12.7, 14.2, 16.6 and 18.7 Years; and median heights, 0.4, 1.1, 1.7, 1.7 and 1.3 SDS (UTS) respectively. Height gain (DeltaHT) after GH discontinuation was 1.5 cm. Total DeltaHT correlated (P<0.001) negatively with bone age and HT SDS at GH start, but positively with DeltaHT after the first Year, DeltaHT at puberty onset, and GH duration. Final HT correlated (P<0.001) positively with HT at GH start, first-Year DeltaHT, and HT at puberty onset. Body mass index increased slightly (P<0.05), with values at start and adult follow-up correlating highly (R=0.70, P<0.001). No major side effects of GH occurred. CONCLUSIONS: GH dosages conceived in the 1980s are safe but too low for most UTS patients. HT gain and height are determined by age and HT at GH start. Height gain during the first Year on GH is indicative of overall height gain. After spontaneous or induced puberty, little gain in height occurs.


2001 ◽  
Vol 86 (10) ◽  
pp. 4711-4716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Oerter Klein ◽  
Kevin M. Barnes ◽  
Janet V. Jones ◽  
Penelope P. Feuillan ◽  
Gordon B. Cutler Jr.

We report 98 children who have reached final adult height in a long-term trial of LHRH agonist treatment. These children were 5.3± 2.1 yr old at the start of treatment and were treated with either deslorelin (4 μg/kg·d sc) or histrelin (4–10 μg/kg·d) for an average of 6.1 ± 2.5 yr. Final height averaged 159.8 ± 7.6 cm in the 80 girls, which was significantly greater than pretreatment predicted height (149.3 ± 9.6 cm) but still significantly less than midparental height (MPH) (163.7 ± 5.6). Final height averaged 171.1 ± 8.7 cm in the 18 boys, which was significantly greater than pretreatment predicted height (156.1 ± 14.2 cm) but still significantly less than MPH (178.3 ± 5.2 cm). However, the average adult height of the 54 children who had less than a 2-yr delay in the onset of treatment was not significantly different from their MPH, and 21 children exceeded MPH. Final height sd score correlated positively with duration of treatment (P &lt; 0.01), midparental height (P &lt; 0.001), predicted height at the start of treatment (P &lt; 0.001), and growth velocity during the last year of treatment (P &lt; 0.001) and correlated inversely with delay in the onset of treatment (P &lt; 0.001), age at the start of treatment (P &lt; 0.001), bone age at the start of treatment (P &lt; 0.001), bone age at the end of treatment (P &lt; 0.001), breast stage at the start of treatment (P = 0.02), and bone age minus chronological age at the start of treatment (P = 0.001). We conclude that LHRH agonist treatment improves the final height for children with rapidly progressing precocious puberty treated before the age of 8 yr for girls or 9 yr for boys. Less delay in the onset of treatment, longer duration of treatment, and lower chronological and bone age at the onset of treatment all lead to greater final height. All children with onset of pubertal symptoms before age 8 in girls and age 9 in boys should be evaluated for possible treatment. Treatment is appropriate in children with rapidly progressing puberty, accelerated bone maturation, and compromise of adult height prediction, regardless of bone age or chronological age at time of evaluation. However, once treatment is considered appropriate, it should be initiated quickly, because longer delays lead to shorter final height. In addition, the longer the treatment is continued, the greater is the final height outcome.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A679-A679
Author(s):  
Benjamin Udoka Nwosu ◽  
Sadichchha Parajuli ◽  
Gabrielle Jasmin ◽  
Austin F Lee

Abstract Context: There is no consensus on the effect of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy on skeletal maturation in children despite the current practice of annual monitoring of skeletal maturation with bone age in children on rhGH therapy. Aims: To investigate the effects of long-term rhGH therapy on skeletal age in children and explore the accuracy of bone age predicted adult height (BAPAH) at different ages based on 13 years of longitudinal data. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study of 71 subjects aged 2-18 years, mean 9.9 ± 3.8y, treated with rhGH for non-syndromic short stature for a duration of 2-14y, mean, 5.5 ± 2.6y. Subjects with syndromic short stature and systemic illnesses such as renal failure were excluded. Results: Bone age minus chronological age (BA-CA) did not differ significantly between baseline and the end of rhGH therapy (-1.05 ± 1.42 vs -0.69 ± 1.63, p=0.09). Piece-wise regression however showed a quantifiable catch-up phenomenon in BA of 1.6 months per year of rhGH therapy in the first 6.5y, 95%CI 0.023 - 0.229, p=0.017, that plateaued thereafter, β=0.015, 95% CI -0.191-0.221, p=0.88. There was no relationship between BAPAH z score – height z score and the duration of rhGH therapy, p=0.68. BAPAH overestimated final adult height in younger subjects but became more precise in older subjects (p&lt;0.0001). Conclusion: Long-term rhGH therapy demonstrated an initial catch-up phenomenon in skeletal maturation in the first 6.5y that plateaued thereafter with no overall significant advancement in bone age. These findings are reassuring and do not support the practice of yearly monitoring of skeletal maturation with bone age in children on rhGH therapy, especially in younger subjects where BAPAH is imprecise.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document