[Growth hormone administered to non-growth hormone deficient, small girls: echographic aspect of the gonads and uterus].

Abstract

The effect of growth hormone (GH) treatment on prepubertal gonads is controversial especially with regard to the risk of precocious puberty. Ultrasound assessment of ovarian volume, follicle size, and uterine growth was performed in 20 premenarcheal girls (8.0 +/- 2.6 years) receiving growth hormone (GH) for short stature (-2.8 +/- 0.4 SD) not related to growth hormone deficiency or Turner syndrome. Mean GH dosage was 1.0 +/- 0.4 IU/kg/week and mean duration of treatment at evaluation was 16.3 +/- 8.9 months. All patients underwent real time ultrasonography of the pelvic organs and ten subjects also had color Doppler studies of the ovarian and uterine arteries. Ultrasound findings were similar to those reported in normal prepubertal girls. Mean uterine length (29.1 +/- 7.5 mm) and volume (1.23 +/- 0.86 ml) were correlated with age but not with dosage or duration of GH treatment. Ovarian volumes was within the normal age-specific range in all patients except a 7.9 year old girl with substantially enlarged ovaries (4.7 ml) but no evidence or precocious puberty. Ovarian follicles were found in five girls; they measured less than 9 mm in diameter in every case except one (13 mm follicle in an 11-year-old). Blood flow in the ovarian arteries was seen on 5 of the 10 color Doppler studies and was not correlated with dosage or duration of GH treatment. Administration of GH to non-GH-deficient girls did not substantially affect the internal genital organs. It remains uncertain whether the single case of ovarian enlargement seen was related to GH treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)