REPLACEMENT ORAL ETHINYLOESTRADIOL THERAPY FOR GONADAL DYSGENESIS: GROWTH AND ADRENAL ANDROGEN STUDIES

Abstract

Growth and adrenal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) responses to i.v. synthetic ACTH (Cortrosyn) were studied in 6 girls with gonadal dysgenesis before and during treatment with low-dose ethinylestradiol (EE2). In all patients there was a statisfactory induction of secondary sexual characteristics including increase in breasts and pubic hair and onset of withdrawal bleeding within 6 mo. of therapy. Height velocity increased from 2.8 .+-. 0.9 cm/yr pre-treatment to 5.3 .+-. 1.5 cm/yr (P < 0.02) in the 1st yr. There was deceleration to 1.9 .+-. 1.1 cm/yr in the 2nd yr. There was no disproportionate advancement in bone age and thus, presumably, no loss of ultimate height. No change was found in basal or ACTH-stimulated levels of DHA, a specific adrenal androgen, to account for the increased pubic hair and growth in these patients.