Abstract
Growth and age at menarche were studied in 10 girls previously treated for Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, ALL. These girls had normal prepubertal growth after treatment but a subnormal pubertal growth spurt. Their mean final height was 1 SD less than expected before puberty. The average age at menarche was 12.2 years which is significantely lower (p<0.01) than the normal mean for Swedish girls, 13.1 years.
Spontaneous secretion of Growth hormone, GH, was studied during 24 hours in thirteen girls, 2.9-7.3 years after the ending of therapy. Blood samples were taken every 30 minutes and the results were compared with the secretion of normal children. The mean 24-hour secretion for these girls was severely blunted and there was no increase in the secretion during puberty.
We suggest that girls who have been treated for ALL, including CNS-irradiation, have a form of relative GH-insufiiency previously not described. This insuffiency becomes clinically obvious only when the girls cannot respond to the increased demands for GH during puberty.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Moëll, C., Garwicz, S., Albertsson-Wikland, K. et al. 3 BLUNTED PUBERTAL GROWTH AFTER LEUKEMIA: A NEW PATTERN OF GH-INSUFFICIENCY. Pediatr Res 24, 517 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198810000-00024
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198810000-00024