Hormonal reference data, in the form of nomograms relating baseline and stimulated levels of adrenal hormones, provide a means of genotyping steroid 21-hydroxylase (21-OH) deficiency in congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Data from both 360- and 60-min ACTH stimulation tests are given. The serum hormone concentrations that have proven most useful in classifying 21-OH deficiency are 17-hydroxyprogesterone and delta 4-androstenedione. These nomograms clearly distinguish the patient with classical 21-OH deficiency from those with the milder symptomatic and asymptomatic nonclassical forms of 21-OH deficiency (previously referred to as late onset and cryptic forms) as well as heterozygotes for all of the forms and those subjects predicted by HLA genotyping to be unaffected. The nomograms also can identify individuals heterozygous for 21-OH deficiency in the general population who have a characteristic heterozygote response. These nomograms provide a powerful tool by which to assign the 21-OH deficiency genotype. Patients whose hormonal values fall on the regression line within a defined group are assigned to that group. In view of the strong correlation between the 60- and 360-min ACTH stimulation tests, the less cumbersome and shorter 60-min test can be used with the same confidence as the longer test.

Hormonal studies and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping were performed in 5 males and 13 females who were demonstrated to have 21-hydroxylase deficiency. The enzymatic deficiency of steroidogenesis was detected by family studies of 10 females who presented with varying symptoms of androgen excess. The 10 index cases had normal genitalia at birth, but virilized to varying degrees postnatally. The additional 8 affected family members had not sought medical care, but some were found to have signs of virilization on physical examination, while others were normal. Thus both late-onset (symptomatic) and cryptic asymptomatic) 21-hydroxylase deficiency occurred in the same pedigree. The hormonal and genetic linkage studies indicate that the late-onset (symptomatic) form of 21-hydroxylase deficiency, like the cryptic (asymptomatic) and classical forms of 21-hydroxylase deficiency, is transmitted by an autosomal recessive gene which is linked to HLA-B. Furthermore, the classical form of 21-hydroxylase deficiency associated with prenatal virilization is transmitted by an allelic variant for steroid 21-hydroxylase different from that of the nonclassical forms, late-onset (symptomatic) and cryptic (asymptomatic) 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Although these latter 2 disorders have different clinical manifestations, they demonstrate a similar degree of steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency that is less severe than that observed in classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency. The hormonal and genetic linkage data indicate that cryptic (asymptomatic) and late-onset (symptomatic) 21-hydroxylase deficiency result from the same allelic variant at the steroid 21-hydroxylase locus. A glossary of terms is presented to describe the various allelic forms of 21-hydroxylase deficiency with consistency.

A total of 82 patients (74 girls, 8 boys) are presently participating in an international multicentre trial for treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP) with a slow release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist depot preparation: Decapeptyl-Depot (DD). Of these patients, 53 (3 boys) were previously untreated (group 1) and 29 (5 boys) have been treated before with either a short-acting GnRH analogue or cyproterone acetate (group 2). Fifty-one patients (44 girls, 7 boys) were treated with DD for 12 months or more. Basal plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) levels decreased in both groups after 1 year of therapy. The LH response to intravenous GnRH was reduced in both groups. Basal plasma follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels decreased in both groups. Stimulated FSH levels were reduced in both groups after 1 year of DD treatment. Plasma oestradiol levels in the girls decreased to prepubertal levels in both groups. In all patients the clinical signs of precocious gonadarche such as breast development and menstruations (girls) and an increased testis volume (boys), did not further progress and sometimes regressed in several patients. Growth velocity decreased in the girls of group 1 from 9.0 +/- 0.72 cm/year (mean +/- SEM) in the last half-year before treatment to 6.3 +/- 0.50 in the first half-year of treatment (P less than 0.01) and to 4.5 +/- 0.23 cm/year in the second half-year (P less than 0.01). After 12 months a stabilization of growth velocity was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Serum androgens and 17-hydroxyprogesterone concentrations and HLA genotypes were determined in 124 families of patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (CAH). In 8 pedigrees, we discovered 16 pubertal or postpubertal family members of either sex who had biochemical evidence of 21-hydroxylase deficiency but were without clinical symptoms of excess virilism, amenorrhea, or infertility. We designated these family members as individuals with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Within each generation, the family members with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency were HLA identical. It is proposed that these family members are genetic compounds, having 21-hydroxylase deficiency as a result of two recessive gene defects: 1) a severe 21-hydroxylase gene defect present in the index case with classical CAH (21-OHCAH) and 2) a mild 21-hydroxylase gene defect (21-OHCRYPTIC). Thus, the CAH genotype in the family members with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency is 21-OHCAH/21-OHCRYPTIC. Lod score analysis for linkage between the cryptogenic 21-OH trait and HLA gave a combined Lod score for males and females of theta = 0.00 of 3.409. Close genetic linkage between HLA and 21-OHCRYPTIC was thus established. This study provides support for the previously reported heterogeneity of 21-hydroxylase deficiency which may result from allelic variability at the locus for steroid 21-hydroxylase.

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Cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency has been previously described in asymptomatic family members of patients with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). These family members were detected by high baseline 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels found in the course of family studies. The hormonal responses to ACTH of the family members with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency were determined and compared to the responses of patients with CAH, patients with acquired adrenal hyperplasia, family members predicted to be heterozygous for CAH, family members predicted to be unaffected, and the general population. The ACTH-stimulated levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone and delta 4-androstenedione in the cryptic family members were elevated above the level of the general population or family members heterozygous for classical CAH, but below that of patients with CAH. The hormonal profile of patients with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency is similar to that of patients with acquired adrenal hyperplasia. The response of family members heterozygous for the cryptic gene (21-OH CRYPTIC/21-OH NORMAL) was indistinguishable from that of family members heterozygous for the classical CAH gene (21-OH CAH/21-OH NORMAL). These studies support our previous proposal that patients with cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency are genetic compounds, having one gene for a severe enzyme deficiency and one gene for a mild 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Thus, the 21-hydroxylase genotype in cryptic 21-hydroxylase deficiency is 21-OH CAH/21-OH CRYPTIC.

Hormonal response to ACTH stimulation and HLA genotyping were determined in families of patients with 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Neither hormonal measurements nor HLA genotyping were useful for the detection of heterozygosity in the families.