An assessment of endocrine function in boys with Perthes' disease.

The frequent association of short stature and retardation of skeletal maturation in Perthes' disease has prompted an investigation of growth-related hormones in this condition. A group of 18 prepubertal boys, aged five to 11 years, who either had a bone age two years or more less than their chronologic age or whose heights were less than the third centile, were studied. Their serum growth hormone (Se GH) response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia was significantly reduced, compared with a control group of short boys. They also demonstrated a tendency to elevated levels of somatomedin activity, measured by chick cartilage bioassay. Thyroid function was normal. These findings suggest a defect in the pituitary-somatomedin-target tissue axis in Perthes' disease.