Elevated Urinary Testosterone and Androstanediol in Precocious Adrenarche

Abstract

Extract: Using a newly devised radioligand method for the simultaneous determination of urinary testosterone (T) and and rostanediol (Adiol) nine girls with precocious adrenarche were evaluated. In the base-line state average urinary T excretion (1.29 μg/24 hr) and Adiol excretion (1.33 μg/24 hr) were significantly elevated when compared with 15 age-matched controls (0.30 and 0.33 μg/24 hr, respectively, P < 0.001 for both). Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) infusion performed in five patients with precocious adrenarche produced at least a 50 > increase in urinary T excretion in all and a similar increase in Adiol excretion in four of five patients. Dexamethasone administration in the same five patients produced a 25 > fall in urinary T excretion in all and a comparable fall in Adiol in four.

Speculation: This study documents elevated urinary T and Adiol excretion in precocious adrenarche in the base-line state. An adrenal source for these androgens is suggested by the response to ACTH stimulation and dexamethasone suppression.

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