STUDIES IN GROWTH: I. INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PITUITARY GROWTH FACTOR AND GROWTH-PROMOTING ANDROGENS IN ACROMEGALY AND GIGANTISM: II. QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF BONE AND SOFT TISSUE GROWTH IN ACROMEGALY AND GIGANTISM***

Abstract

A significantly high growth hormone content of the plasma of a young untreated acromegalic giant is demonstrated (for the first time). This high pituitary growth hormone content falls to nearly normal levels during the admn. of 50 mg. of testosterone propionate daily for a period of 24 days. The inorganic serum P level in this patient and in other acromegalics is shown to be significantly elevated and to fall to normal levels during treatment with steroid "anabolic" factors. Evidently the serum inorganic P can serve as an index of pituitary growth hormone activity and pituitary growth hormone production is inhibited by certain metabolically active steroid hormones, notably, testosterone and estrogen.