Diana S. Tattoni

Studies of anabolic steroids. VI. Effect of prolonged administration of oxandrolone on growth in children and adolescents with gonadal dysgenesis.

Twenty-five patients with Turner Syndrome were treated with oxandrolone for six or more months. Mean growth velocity for the first year of treatment was significantly greater than pretreatment control growth velocity. Overall, there was no excessive skeletal maturation. Mean “final” height in nine XO patients (146.4 cm) was significantly greater than mean adult height of an estrogen-treated control group (140.3 cm), while that for five mosaic patients (148.2 cm) was not significantly different from a mean untreated mosaic adult height (145.2cm).

Studies of adrenal steroid hydroxylation: I. Purification of the microsomal 21-hydroxylase system

Abstract A steroid 21-hydroxylase has been isolated from steer adrenal microsomes and purified seven to ten fold. The microsomal enzyme initially catalyzes the 21-hydroxylation of Δ5-pregnenolone, progesterone, and 17-α-hydroxyprogesterone to a similar degree, but progressively loses the ability to hydroxylate Δ5-pregnenolone and progesterone at different stages of the purification procedure. The results suggest that a single enzyme system catalyzes the hydroxylation of the three steroids, but that some of the mechanisms of the enzymic reaction differ for each of the three steroid substrates.

Growth, pulmonary, and endocrine function in chronic asthma patients on daily and alternate-day adrenocorticosteroid therapy

Growth, pulmonary, and adrenal-pituitary function were assessed in 20 steroid-dependent asthmatic children and adolescents while they were on daily prednisone therapy. The patients were then switched to equivalent daily methylprednisolone or twice equivalent alternate-day methylprednisolone for a 3-mo period, after which time studies were repeated. The steroid regimens were then crossed so that those patients taking daily methylprednisolone were switched to alternate-day therapy and the alternate-day therapy patients were switched to daily medication for another 3-mo interval, after which studies were repeated again. Abnormal growth, bone maturation, and cataracts were identified. Mean symptom scores at each evaluation were similar. Pulmonary function tests and shunt studies showed little difference between methylprednisolone and prednisone. Endocrine function tests showed a high incidence of disturbed pituitary and adrenal function. A 3-mo period of alternate-day therapy did not alter this.

Studies of anabolic steroids: VIII. Adult stature of males with Down syndrome treated with oxandrolone during childhood*

OXANDROLONE has been shown to be effective in increasing growth velocity in children. 1-3 There still remains concern, however, about using the drug as a growth-promoting agent for fear that it may cause disproportionately rapid increase in epiphysial maturation such that eventual adult height attainment would be reduced. This brief communication addresses itself to this issue. Several years ago we published the results of a controlled study 4 wherein oxandrolone was administered to two groups of children with Down syndrome; a separate group of children with the same disorder served as a control group. Group A received oxandrolone in doses of 0.5 mg/kg/day for one year and Group B, 0.25 mg/kg/day for two years. ~In that study a significant increase in height without excessive acceleration of bone age was observed in the oxandrolone-treated groups both during the periods of therapy and at three years after initiation (one or two years after termination) of the therapy. The purpose of this paper is to present follow-up data concerning the adult height attainment of these

COMPARISON OF HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE |[lpar]|HGH|[rpar]| AND OXANDROLONE AS GROWTH STIHULATING AGENTS IH PATIENTS WITH GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY

21 patients with growth retardation secondary to Growth Hormone deficiency have been studied prospectively during a control period of 6 months and 3 six-month therapy periods during which they received in random order Oxandrolone (Anavar ®) alone, .25mg/Kg/day; HGH alone, 2 IU-3x per week; or a combination of these two drugs in the doses mentioned. Careful height measurements and bone-age determinations were made at the beginning and end of each of the four study periods.The patients studied included 10 with idiopathic panhypopituitarism (Group I), 6 with panhypopituitarism secondary to craniopharyngioma (Group II), and 5 with isolated growth hormone deficiency associated with other primary non-endocrine pathology. Patients with thyroid and/or adrenal insufficiency were maintained on appropriate substitution therapy throughout all four study periods.Results indicate that in Groups I and II Oxandrolone was effective in stimulating growth, HGH was more effective, and the combination of the two drugs was even more effective. In Group III, none of the therapy regimens was significantly effective. In all groups and study periods advancement in bone age was quite similar to that in height age, thus providing no substantiation for concern over compromising eventual adult height attainment.