THE CORTICOSTEROID EXCRETION PATTERN IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN WITH THE ADRENOGENITAL SYNDROME

Abstract

The urinary steroid pattern of 11 children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia with and without signs of adrenal insufficiency was studied. The children ranged in age from 1 month to 10 years (5 were under a year old). Seven of them were females. The excretion of corticosteroids increased in relation to age in all cases. A detailed study of the corticosteroid pattern was made in 6 cases. Two of the cases exhibited the salt losing syndrome and one patient had a slightly disturbed electrolyte function. Pregnanetriol was excreted as the dominant steroid in the older children. The dominant steroid in the infants was 11-ketopregnanetriol. Two patients excreted tetrahydro-S and 2 excreted tetrahydrocortisone. Two patients exhibiting the salt losing syndrome were children and those without electrolyte disturbances were 6-10 years old. It is therefore possible that the differences demonstrated can be correlated to age rather than clinical symptoms.