Abstract
Constitutional short stature (CSS) is a frequent cause of impaired self-image, social isolation and depression in adolescent males. We have prospectively evaluated the physiological and psychological responses to androgen treatment of CSS. 16 boys, ages 14-17 years, were randomly assigned to a course of testosterone enanthate (T), 200 mg I.M. q3wks x4, or to observation. At entry, all subjects were below 5th percentile in height, Tanner I-II pubertal status, and exhibited disturbed self-image on the Offer Test. At 1 year followup, all subjects in the (T) group exhibited excellent growth: 7.2-11.6 cm/yr, with a mean of 9.2 cm/yr. Growth in control subjects was highly variable: 2.6-10.6 cm/yr, with a mean of 6.0 cm/yr, significantly lower than the (T) group (p < 0.02). Growth in controls correlated with baseline serum testosterone (r=0.85), with growth rates below 5cm/yr in control subjects with testosterone < 100 ng/dl. Mean annual increment in bone age was 1.1 years for both groups. Δ height age/Δ bone age ratio was slightly higher in the (T) group (1.3 vs 1.1), and the (T) group had a 1.7 cm increase in predicted adult height. Both groups showed improved self-image on the Offer Test, and subjects in the (T) group also demonstrated dramatic increases in both school-related and extra-school social activity. We conclude that a brief course of (T) is an effective safe means of promoting growth in select adolescent males.
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Rosenfeld, R., Northcraft, G. & Hintz, R. 28 A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED STUDY OF TESTOSTERONE TREATMENT OF CONSTITUTIONAL SHORT STATURE IN ADOLESCENT MALES. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 444 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00037
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00037