Male Patients with Growth Ho Gonadotropin Secretion

an ed itheir possible physiological roles in the regulation of bone formation and mineralization (5). Recently, we encountered three pubertal boys with complete isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) whose cases had been detected and diagnosed after the patient had reached puberty. An analysis of the bone mineral status in these patients allowed us to determine the extention to which testosterone contributes to bone mineral gain in GH deficient children. irradiation treatment. The presence of IGHD became evident (stimulated peak in GH response 3.3 ng/ml) in an endocrinological study performed at the age of 5 yr, but GH replacement therapy was not started because of the risk of tumor recurrence. Thereafter, pubic hair developed at the age of 6 yr in association with other secondary sexual characteristics and an increased growth velocity. The precocious puberty of the present patients was thought to result from sequela produced by brain irradiation, and the increased growth velocity of the patients was thought to result from the increase in testosterone. We compared the BMD of the present three patients to those of six adult patients with GH deficiency (21–26 yr) who had received G