The urinary excretion of total androstenedione i. e. free, glucosiduronide and sulphate, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone during two normal menstrual cycle is presented. Epitestosterone was determinated during one cycle only. Both cycles were ovulatory as can be seen from the pregnanediol and oestriol determinations.
The androstenedione and testosterone excretion values showed a caracteristic decrease from 12th to 16th day and an increase during the luteal phases, reaching their maximal levels between the 20th and 25th (cycle A) and 20th and 24th day (cycle B) respectively. The excretion values of epitestosterone were highest on 22nd and 23rd day. Dehydroepiandrosterone values were also slightly raised during the luteal phase of the cycle.
SUMMARY Endocrine studies in girls with precocious thelarche were compared with those of normal girls of similar ages. Girls with precocious thelarche showed breast development and oestrogenised vaginal smears as the only signs of precocious sexual development. A few of the girls were tall and some had advanced bone ages but these two findings were not consistently present in the same patient. Hormones-such as serum oestradiol, oestrone, A 4-androstenedione, progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, and prolactin, and urinary 17-ketosteroids-were measured. Only DHEA was different, being higher in girls with precocious thelarche. It is suggested that the high DHEA level may serve as a precursor for conversion to oestrogens in the target tissues, breast, and vagina. This mechanism for oestrogenisation has been reported in other patients.
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