Abstract
Skeletal maturation rate (SMR) during spontaneous or induced (pseudo-) puberty was studied in boys with hypopituitary dwarfism, 30 treated with hGH, 26 without. Bone age (BA, Greulich & Pyle) was estimated at the time when pubertal signs were first noted or when androgen substitution was begun. When final height was reached pubertal growth was considered to have ended and BA assumed to be maximal (19 y). SMR (mean 0.91, SEM 0.058) was negatively correlated with initial BA (mean 11.2, SEM 0.37) in boys without hGH; in only 4/26 SMR exceeded 1 y/y. For boys with hGH there was no correlation between SMR (mean 1.54, SEM 0.070) and initial BA (mean 11.5, SEM 0.26); in 26/30 SMR exceeded 1 y/y.
Conclusions: androgen-induced skeletal maturation occurs faster in presence of hGH than in its absence; this explains earlier finding of similar final heights of hypopituitary boys with and without hGH-treatment. Hence hGH-treatment must aim at greatest possible height before puberty.
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van der Werff ten Bosch, J., Bot, A. 37 GROWTH HORMONE HASTENS BONE MATURATION DURING ‘PUBERTY’ IN HYPOPITUITARY BOYS. Pediatr Res 24, 523 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198810000-00058
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198810000-00058