Consistent with previous findings, six women with primary anorexia nervosa who underwent 24-hour endocrine studies were all observed to have immature (prepubertal or pubertal) patterns of circadian luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. This abnormality was present despite negligible weight deficit (but active symptomatology) in three of the women. Regardless of the extent of immaturity of circadian pattern, each woman showed a completely normal release of LH in response to the single intravenous administration of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH). These findings provide further evidence for the intactness of pituitary function and for the possibility of a functional hypothalamic disturbance in anorexia nervosa. The discrepant finding in certain other studies of inadequate LH response to LHRH in women with anorexia nervosa is reviewed, and the potential influences of differing variables in these studies and the possibility of a heterogeneous illness are emphasized.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of clonidine on 24-hour hormonal secretory patterns, cardiovascular hemodynamics, and central nervous function in hypertensive adolescents.

To assess the potential of antihypertensive drugs for interference with somatic growth and sexual development in hypertensive children, the effect of clonidine therapy on various endocrine, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular functions has been examined in five male adolescents with idiopathic hypertension. In studies done before and at the end of 4 weeks of twice-daily clonidine therapy, in an average daily dose of 0.31 mg, no significant effects were noted in the secretory patterns of growth hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, cortisol, aldosterone, or testosterone, measured in blood obtained every 20 minutes for 24 hours. In blood obtained while the patients were supine and then erect, plasma renin activity and norepinephrine levels were significantly lowered after clonidine therapy. Cardiovascular responses to dynamic exercise were little altered beyond a 17% decrease in maximal oxygen consumption. The performance of fine motor skills was minimally altered. These data provide preliminary evidence that clonidine, an antihypertensive drug that affects the adrenergic nervous system, may not interfere with normal growth and maturation in adolescent males.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Anterior-pituitary adrenal function of gold-treated patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

The hypothesis that gold therapy enhances endogenous cortisol secretion was tested in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis patients. The secretion of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and several peptide hormones was determined from plasma samples collected every 20 min for 24 hours. In random patients cortisol secretion was significantly greater in gold treated patients than in similar patients not receiving gold. However, when untreated patients were restudied after initiation of gold therapy, there was no significant change in cortisol secretion. Gold therapy also did not significantly alter secretion of the peptide hormones or DHEA-S. Thus, gold does not appear to influence endogenous hormone secretion.

Adolescent↗