Effects of Oxandrolone on Growth in Turner's Syndrome

Abstract

16 patients with XO-syndrome, aged 11.1 - 16.3 years, were treated with 0.1 mg/kg oxandrolone daily. Mean bone age 11.3 ± 1.1 (SD) years, height SDS (standard deviation score) for chronological age 3.45 ± 0.94. Pat. received oxandrolone therapy for one year (period I), no therapy for the next 6 months (period II) and oxandrolone again for further six-month periods (period III, IV). There was a significant increase (p < 0.005) in growth velocity (cm/year) with hormone medication: pretreatment: 2.3 ± 1.2, during first and second 6 months of therapy: 5.9 ± 1.6 and 5.2 ± 0.9, during period II: 1.4 ± 1.1, period III: 4.6 ± 1.4, period IV: 4.0 ± 0.5. Bone age velocity did not differ significantly from pretreatment velocity during period I-IV. Oxandrolone treatment resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.005) in the ratio of height age: bone age. Height SDS for bone age significantly decreased (p < 0.01) with hormone administration: pretreatment: −1.72 ± 0.76, after period I: −1.41 ± 0.76, after period II: −1.69 ± 0.75, after period III: −1.49 ± 0.66 and after period IV: −1751 ± 0.62. Serious side-effects were not observed. These data may suggest some favourable effect of oxandrolone on growth in Turner's syndrome.