Excessive Height and Possible Adjustment by Hormonal Treatment

Overview

In our population excessive height implies in men a height above 191.7 cm, in women a height above 176.8 cm.Attempts at hormonal correction of excessive growth in boys with testosterone and in girls with oestrogens arebased in particular on the action of oestrogens on chondroblasts in epiphyseal clefts, which lead to acceleration oftheir closure. Concurrently also the growth rate is stimulated and it depends on the therapeutic regime, inparticular on early onset of treatment how the results will be manifested in the final height. More recent experiencerevealed that the final reduction of the expected height does not achieve as favourable results as reported in olderwork, in particular because of the error associated with the prognosis of height. A more marked effect of thetreatment can be expected in girls, in boys obviously mainly the oestrogens formed endogenously from testosteroneare effective. Although treatment does not cause detectable damage of reproductive functions, and the undesirableside-effects of steroid sex hormones are only slight and reversible, it is necessary with regard to the unconvincingeffect on final growth to use hormonal treatment very carefully and only in exceptional cases, start treatmentduring the prepubertal or early pubertal developmental stage and always consider the risks and difficulties oftreatment and the psychological impact of high stature on subjects with excessive growth.

Key words:
high stature, growth, testosterone, oestrogens, hormonal treatment