SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of short dexamethasone suppression on plasma steroids in prepubertal and pubertal girls

  • Published:
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In 40 girls aged from 2 to 14 years, subdivided into groups according to age and pubertal development, and in 6 adult female volunteers, plasma Cortisol (F), pregnenolone (δ5), de-hydroepiandrosterone (DHA), progesterone (P), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17P), androstenedi-one (A), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) were measured before and after short dexamethasone (DXM) suppression. The results confirmed the capacity of DXM to inhibit plasma steroids in all age groups, except T in 2–9 year old and P1 Tanner’s stage girls. The percentage suppression of each given steroid was constant over the age groups from 6–9 years to P4–5 Tanner’s stage, while lower suppression was found in 17P, P and DHA in 2–5 year old girls and in 17P, DHA and E2 in adult women. These results emphasize thefundamental role of ACTH as the overall stimulating factor of adrenal steroidogenesis but do not negate the possibility of another factor responsible for the development of the adrenal androgen secreting cells throughout prepuberty and puberty.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (United Kingdom)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hopper B.R., Yen S.S.C. Circulating concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate during puberty. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 40: 458, 1975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sizonenko P.C., Paunier C. Hormonal changes in puberty III. Correlation of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone, FSH and LH with stages of puberty and bone age in normal boys and girls and patients with Addison’s disease or hypogonadism or with premature or late adrenarche. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 41: 894, 1975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Forest M.G., De Peretti E. Bertrand J. Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal relationships in man from birth to puberty. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 5: 551, 1976.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Pintor C., Genazzani A.R., Facchinetti F., Romagnino S., Corda R., Fioretti P. Plasma steroid levels in prepubertal and pubertal girls and in cases of delayed puberty. In: Chiumello G., Laron Z. (Eds.), Recent progress in pediatric endocrinology. Academic Press, New York, 1977, p. 157.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Genazzani A.R., Pintor C., Facchinetti F., Carboni G., Pelosi U., Corda R. Adrenal and gonadal steroids in girls during sexual maturation. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 8: 15, 1978.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Parker L.N., Sack J., Fisher D.A., Odell W. The adrenarche: prolactin, gonadotropins, adrenal androgens and Cortisol. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 46: 396, 1978.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Pintor C, Genazzani Genazzani A.R., Pelosi U., Puggioni R., Facchi netti F., Pecciarini-Snickars L, Corda Corda R. Correlations between dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydro- epiandrosterone sulphate, estradiol and gonadotropins in prepubertal girls. In: Polleri A., MacLeod R.M. (Eds.), Neuroendocrinology: biological and clinical aspects. Academic Press, New York, in press.

  8. Ducharme J.R., Forest M.G., De Peretti E., Sempré M., Collu R., Bertrand J. Plasma adrenal and gonadal sex steroids in human pubertal development. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 42: 468, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sizonenko P.C. Endocrine laboratory findings in pubertal disturbances. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf.) 4: 173, 1974.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. De Peretti E., Forest M.G. Unconjugated dehydroepiandrosterone plasma levels in norma! subjects from birth to adolescence in humans: the use of a sensitive radioimmunoassay. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 43: 972, 1976.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Korth-Schutz S., Levine L.S., New M.I. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels: a rapid test for abnormal adrenal androgen secretion. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 42: 1005, 1976b.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Jenner M.R., Kelck R.P., Kaplan J.L., Grumbach M.M. Hormonal changes in puberty IV. Plasma estradiol, LH and FSH in prepubertal children, pubertal females and in precocious puberty, premature thelarche, hypogonadism and in a child with a feminizing ovarian tumor. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 34: 521, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Angsusingha K., Kenny P.M., Howard R.N., Taylor H.F. Unconjugated estrone, estradiol, FSH and LH in prepubertal and pubertal males and females. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 39: 63, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gupta D., Rager R., Zarycki J., Eichner M. Levels of LH, FSH, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the circulation of sexually maturing intact male rats and after orchidectomy and experimental bilateral cryptorchidism. J. Endocrinol. 66: 183, 1975.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lee P.A., Xenakis T., Winer J., Matsenbough S. Puberty in girls: correlations of serum levels of gonado tropins, prolactin, androgens, estrogens and progestins with physical changes. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 43: 755, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Korth-Schutz S., Levine L.S., New M.I. Serum androgens in normal prepubertal and pubertal children and in children with precocious adrenarche. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 42: 117, 1976.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Parker L., Odell W. Control of adrenal androgen secretion by a new pituitary factor: cortical androgen stimulating hormone (CASH). Clin. Res. 25: 299, 1977, ( Abstract ).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Tanner J.M. Growth at adolescence. Blackwell Publications, Oxford, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Facchinetti F., Genazzani A.R. Critical assessment of celite column chromatography in a multiple steroid radioimmunoassay system. J. Nucl. Med. All. Sci. 22, 61, 1978.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Okuno A., Nishimura Y., Kawarazaki T. Changes in plasma 11-hydroxycorticosteroids after ACTH, insulin and dexamethasone in neonatal infants. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 34: 516, 1972.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kenny F.M., Preeyasombat C., Migeon S.C. Cortisol production rate II. Normal subjects, children and adults. Pediatrics 37: 34, 1966.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kim M.H., Hosseinian A.H., Dupon C. Plasma levels of estrogens, androgens and progesterone during normal and dexamethasone-treated cycles. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 39, 706, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Horton R., Tait J.F. Androstenedione production and interconversion rates measured in peripheral blood and studies on the possible site of its conversion to testosterone. J. Clin. Invest. 45:301, 1966.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kirchner M.A., Zucker L.R., Jespersen L. Ovarian and adrenal vein catheterization studies in women with idiopathic hirsutism. In: James V.H.T., Serio M., Giusti G. (Eds.), The endocrine function of the human ovary. Academic Press, New York, 1976, p. 443.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Genazzani A.R., Magrini G., Facchinetti F., Romagnino S., Pintor C., Felber J.P., Fioretti P. Behaviour and origin of plasma androgens throughout the menstrual cycle. In: Martini L., Motta M. (Eds.), Androgens and Antiandrogens. Raven Press, New York, 1977, p. 247.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Abraham G.E. Ovarian and adrenal contribution to peripheral androgens during the menstrual cycle. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 39: 340, 1974.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Baird D.T. Ovarian steroid secretion and metabolism in women. In: James V.H.T., Serio M., Giusti G. (Eds.), The endocrine function of the human ovary. Academic Press, New York, 1976, p. 125.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Primo Dipartimento di Pediatria, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    C. Pintor, R. Puggioni, A. Faedda & R. Corda

  2. Università di Siena, Siena, Italy

    F. Facchinetti (Cattedra di Patologia Ostetrica e Ginecologica), C. Massafra (Cattedra di Patologia Ostetrica e Ginecologica) &  A. R. Genazzani (Cattedra di Patologia Ostetrica e Ginecologica)

Authors
  1. C. Pintor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F. Facchinetti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Puggioni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Faedda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C. Massafra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R. Corda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. A. R. Genazzani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pintor, C., Facchinetti, F., Puggioni, R. et al. Effect of short dexamethasone suppression on plasma steroids in prepubertal and pubertal girls. J Endocrinol Invest 3, 25–28 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348213

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03348213

Key-words

Search

Navigation