
effects of short term administration of
hysiological doses of human growth hormone
in three patients with turner's syndrome
h. e. sjoberg
the effect of apparently physiological doses of human growth hormone
was investigated in three patients with turner's syndrome in short term
metabolic balance studies.  the subjects presented an abnormal sex chro-
mosome constitution and an increased level of sulphation factor activity
in serum.
two dose levels of hormone were used, and there appeared an anabolic
response to both.  no correlation with dose was obtained for any of the
parameters used except for urinary magnesium, where the retention was
greater with the higher dose.  the sulphation factor activity of serum in-
creased during hormone administration in the one case studied in this
respect.
the urinary excretion of hydroxyproline was within the normal range in
the two patients studied in this respect, and was not altered by growth
hormone.
all patients had an increased urinary excretion of creatine which at
present cannot be explained.  the creatinuria diminished during growth
hormone treatment.
the mechanism behind the retarded growth is discussed.  it is suggested
that a major factor might be a defect in the center for linear growth,
i.e. the epiphyses that would make these less responsive to all the factors
normally stimulating the growth processes in the epiphyseal zones.
