EFFECTS OF CYCLIC ESTROGENS ON PREPUBERTAL & PUBERTAL GIRLS WITH EXCESSIVE HEIGHT

Abstract

For excessive height, 25 girls ages 8-10; 34, 10-12; and 34 over 12 were given 10 mg of estradiol valerate days 5, 9 and 16 of cycles; 250 mg 17 hydroprogesterone caproate was added on day 16. Therapy was one year or more in 91. Average yearly height increase in the groups was 10.73, 7.33, 3.67 cms; greatest was 13.3 cms. Average weight gain 8.18, 8.28, 4.98 kilograms; greatest was 16.8 kg. Average yearly bone age advance 36,7, 32.97, 27.41 months; greatest was 64 months in an 8-year-old. In the youngest group, axillary and pubic hair did not appear until 4-6 months after therapy. Side effects were gluteal striae, mild areolar pigmentation, and amenorrhea up to 13 months, in 18, following cessation of therapy; all have since menstruated normally. None have had infertility problems. Estradiol valerate is a strong genital and extragenital anabolic agent which is most efficacious in preventing excessive height in girls when started between ages 8-11, and becomes progressively less effective as the bone age approaches 14. The adrenarche does not appear to be initiated by an iatrogenic menarche.

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