Testicular volume at puberty in boys with congenital cryptorchidism randomised to treatment at different ages.

Aim: To assess testicular volume at puberty for boys who underwent orchidopexy at 9 or at 36 months compared to boys with spontaneous postnatal descent.

Methods: At age 6 months, boys with congenital unilateral cryptorchidism were randomised to surgery at 9 or 39 months of age and followed to 16 years in parallel with boys with spontaneous postnatal descent. Ultrasound was done at 11 and 16 years to determine testicular volume.

The psychological syndrome associated with Long-COVID: A study protocol.

Introduction: Chronic post-viral syndromes, including Long-COVID, are characterized by a range of persistent symptoms that occur following a viral infection. Psychological symptoms are prevalent in Long-COVID patients and can have a significant impact on their quality of life. However, the specific patterns of psychological symptoms, their associations with physical symptoms, and the factors predicting their severity remain poorly understood.

Metabolic Effects of Growth Hormone Treatment in Short Prepubertal Children: A Double-Blinded Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Growth hormone (GH) is a central hormone for regulating linear growth during childhood and also highly involved in the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, and protein. However, few studies report on how treatment with GH during childhood influences metabolic parameters. Our aim was to investigate metabolic effects of different doses of GH in short children with GH peak levels in the low to normal range.

Metabolic differences between short children with GH peak levels in the lower normal range and healthy children of normal height.

Objective: Severe growth hormone deficiency (GHD) leads to several metabolic effects in the body ranging from abnormal body composition to biochemical disturbances. However, less is known regarding these parameters in short children with GH peak levels in the lower normal range during provocation tests. Our aim was to study the metabolic profile of this group and compare it with that of healthy children of normal height.

Country-based reference values and international comparisons of clitoral size in healthy Nigerian newborn infants.

Aim: Clitoral size references are useful for diagnosing genital abnormalities. Despite the fact that examining the genitalia is an important aspect of newborn evaluation, few studies have been carried out to determine normal clitoral size in newborn infants. The aim of this study was to establish reference values for clitoral size in Nigerian newborn girls and to compare them with references from other ethnic populations.

Women with hyperandrogenism in elite sports: scientific and ethical rationales for regulating.

The recent implementation by some major sports-governing bodies of policies governing eligibility of females with hyperandrogenism to compete in women's sports has raised a lot of attention and is still a controversial issue. This short article addresses two main subjects of controversy: the existing scientific basis supporting performance enhancing of high blood T levels in elite female athletes, and the ethical rationale and considerations about these policies. Given the recently published data about both innate and acquired hyperandrogenic conditions and their prevalence in elite female sports, we claim that the high level of androgens are per se performance enhancing.

Growth hormone dose-dependent pubertal growth: a randomized trial in short children with low growth hormone secretion.

Background/aims: Growth hormone (GH) treatment regimens do not account for the pubertal increase in endogenous GH secretion. This study assessed whether increasing the GH dose and/or frequency of administration improves pubertal height gain and adult height (AH) in children with low GH secretion during stimulation tests, i.e.

Serum androgen levels in elite female athletes.

Objective: Prior to the implementation of the blood steroidal module of the Athlete Biological Passport, we measured the serum androgen levels among a large population of high-level female athletes as well as the prevalence of biochemical hyperandrogenism and some disorders of sex development (DSD).

Methods And Results: In 849 elite female athletes, serum T, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, androstenedione, SHBG, and gonadotrophins were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry high resolution or immunoassay. Free T was calculated.

Risks of malignant and non-malignant tumours in tall women treated with high-dose oestrogen during adolescence.

Background/aim: High-dose oestrogen treatment has been used to reduce growth in tall adolescent girls. The long-term safety with regard to cancer has not been clarified. Our aim was to study if this growth reduction therapy affects cancer risk later in life.

One hundred years of congenital adrenal hyperplasia in Sweden: a retrospective, population-based cohort study.

Background: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency results in cortisol and aldosterone deficiency and is, in its most severe form, lethal. We aimed to assess the effect of historical medical improvements in the care of patients with this disorder over time and to assess the effects of neonatal screening in Sweden.

Methods: For this retrospective, population-based cohort study, we collected data for all known patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia in Sweden between 1910 and 2011 [corrected].

Is the decision on the use of biosimilar growth hormone based on high quality scientific evidence? - a systematic review.

Background: The authors carried out a systematic and critical review of the scientific literature regarding the possible development of neutralising antibodies developed in patients treated with growth hormone biosimilars (defined as a drug expected to be similar to the originator or original pharmaceutical -European Medicines Agency) as compared to the reference drug. As a consequence, we discovered two major issues, namely, the poor quality of the comparative clinical trials and the poor quality of the antibody assays used during the trials.

Methods: The literature review was performed according to the principle of the Cochrane Collaboration and SBU.

Students' motives for using online formative assessments when preparing for summative assessments.

Background: Formative assessments intend to provide feedback on student performance in order to improve and accelerate learning. Several studies have indicated that students using online formative assessments (OFAs), have better results on their exams.

Aims: The present study aims to provide insight in student reasons for using or not using available OFAs.

Online formative tests linked to microlectures improving academic achievement.

Background: Online formative tests (OFTs) are powerful tools to direct student learning behavior, especially when enriched with specific feedback.

Aim: In the present study, we have investigated the effect of OFTs enriched with hyperlinks to microlectures on examination scores.

Methods: OFTs, available one week preceding each midterm and the final exams, could be used voluntarily.

A Summary of the Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines on Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia due to Steroid 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency.

Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency accounts for about 95% of cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Newborns are currently being screened for the classical forms of this disease throughout the United States and in 12 other countries. As such, it seems important to develop the best practice guidelines for treating not only infants and children, but affected adults as well.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline.

Objective: We developed clinical practice guidelines for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).

Participants: The Task Force included a chair, selected by The Endocrine Society Clinical Guidelines Subcommittee (CGS), ten additional clinicians experienced in treating CAH, a methodologist, and a medical writer. Additional experts were also consulted.

Efficacy and safety of hormonal treatment of cryptorchidism: current state of the art.

Unlabelled: Meta-analyses of randomised trials using hCG or GnRH for treatment on testicular descent show in most studies overall efficacy of about 20%, less if retractile testes were excluded. In recent years a number of potentially serious side effects have been reported.

Conclusion: Considering the efficacy and the possible side effects of the hormonal treatment, the general use of hCG and GnRH in the treatment of cryptorchidism cannot be further recommended.

Improvement of cognitive functions in chronic schizophrenic patients by recombinant human erythropoietin.

Schizophrenia is increasingly recognized as a neurodevelopmental disease with an additional degenerative component, comprising cognitive decline and loss of cortical gray matter. We hypothesized that a neuroprotective/neurotrophic add-on strategy, recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) in addition to stable antipsychotic medication, may be able to improve cognitive function even in chronic schizophrenic patients. Therefore, we designed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicenter, proof-of-principle (phase II) study.

Growth hormone treatment in 35 prepubertal children with achondroplasia: a five-year dose-response trial.

Background: Achondroplasia is a skeletal dysplasia with extreme, disproportionate, short stature.

Aim: In a 5-y growth hormone (GH) treatment study including 1 y without treatment, we investigated growth and body proportion response in 35 children with achondroplasia.

Methods: Patients were randomized to either 0.