[Responses of somatotropin to stimuli after brief administration of estradiol in short children].

Ethinyl estradiol has been administered orally, 100 micrograms per day during three days, to enhance the growth hormone (GH) response to usual pharmacological stimuli. 102 prepubertal short patients aged 2 to 17 years with height between 2 to 6 SD below the mean, were studied. Human growth hormone (hGH) treatment was given only to those patients whose GH response was still below 10 ng/ml after estradiol. Under hGH treatment, their growth rate increased twofold, as much in patients with partial GH deficiency as in those with complete GH deficiency. It is concluded that the lack of GH response after estradiol priming contributes to the assessment of the indication for treatment with hGH. However, since it has not been possible to give this treatment to very short children whose GH response became normal after priming, this study does not allow to preclude the effect of hGH in such conditions. Thus estradiol priming must not be included among the practical criteria leading to therapeutic decision in doubtful cases.