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Critical analysis of height reduction in oestrogen-treated tall girls

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Abstract

Twenty-one girls with familial tall stature were reevaluated at 18 years of age. Fourteen of them had been treated with high-dose oestrogens (I), while seven girls had not been treated (II). The untreated group is comparable but not a strict control group. Recordings on initiation of the study were: Chronologic age: 12.0±1.4 (I) versus 13.5±1.5 years (II; x), Bone age: (1) Greulich-Pyle: 11.8±1.4 (I) versus 13.1±1.1 years (II), (2) Tanner-Whitehouse II: 12.7±1.0 (I) versus 13.6±1.1 years (II). Mean height predictions according to (1) Bayley-Pinneau, (2) Roche-Wainer-Thissen and Tanner (3) with, and (4) without allowance for midparent height ranged from 179.4–184 (I) to 175.7–179.5 cm (II). In the treated group there was an average reduction of predicted height of between 2.3 and 6.5 cm, depending on which of the four methods was used. In the untreated group the average differences between calculated and observed mature height varied from 0.2–3.4 cm. The difference in the reduction of predicted height between the treated and untreated groups was significant (P<0.05) only with the Bayley-Pinneau method and not with the others. In the treated group highly significant correlations were found between height reduction and the initial chronologic age, bone age and duration of therapy.

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Abbreviations

FH:

final adult height

CA:

chronologic age

BA:

bone age

GP:

Greulich-Pyle

RUS:

Tanner-Whitehouse II-RUS

BP:

Bayley-Pinneau

RWT:

Roche-Wainer-Thissen

Tcc:

Tanner-Whitehouse with parental correction

Tsc:

Tanner-Whitehouse without parental correction

TH:

target adult height

DT:

duration of treatment

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Pediatrics, University of Ulm, D-7900, Ulm, Germany

    W. Sorgo, K. Scholler, F. Heinze, E. Heinze & W. M. Teller

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  1. W. Sorgo
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  2. K. Scholler
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  3. F. Heinze
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  4. E. Heinze
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  5. W. M. Teller
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Sorgo, W., Scholler, K., Heinze, F. et al. Critical analysis of height reduction in oestrogen-treated tall girls. Eur J Pediatr 142, 260–265 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540248

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00540248

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