Effect of gonadectomy on growth hormone, IGF-I and sex steroids in children with complete and incomplete androgen insensitivity.

IGF-I, testosterone and estradiol levels were evaluated in 8 girls with androgen insensitivity immediately before and from 1 to 3 months after bilateral gonadectomy. In 6 patients GH secretion was evaluated before and after gonadectomy by means of an arginine test and in 3 a sleep test was also performed. Mean IGF-I level before surgery was significantly higher than that of normal controls (2850 +/- 1230 vs 1680 +/- 1040 U/l, p less than 0.

Pelvic ultrasonography in girls with precocious puberty, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, obesity, or hirsutism.

Real-time ultrasonography of the pelvic organs was performed on 151 girls with various complete and incomplete forms of precocious puberty, 20 girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, 20 with hirsutism, 18 with obesity, and 133 age-matched normal girls. Uterine and ovarian volumes were calculated and the ovarian morphologic picture was classified as homogeneous, nonhomogeneous (less than three small cystic areas), microcystic (four or more small cystic areas less than 9 mm in diameter), follicular (at least one cystic area greater than 9 mm), and macrocystic (large cystic area greater than 20 mm). Ultrasound imaging allowed an easy distinction between true precocious puberty and premature thelarche or idiopathic premature adrenarche.

Growth and growth factors in diabetes mellitus.

Growth of 79 children with diabetes was analysed at diagnosis and again after one to 10.7 years of treatment with insulin. Both sexes were tall at onset, whereas at the last observation boys alone showed significant growth retardation.