Sixteen girls with Turner syndrome (TS) were treated for 4 years with biosynthetic growth hormone (GH). The dosage was 4 IU/m2 body surface s.c. per day over the first 3 years. In the 4th year the dosage was increased to 6 IU/m2 per day in the 6 girls with a poor height increment and in 1 girl oxandrolone was added. Ethinyl oestradiol was added after the age of 13. Mean (SD) growth velocities were 3.4 (0.9), 7.2 (1.7), 5.3 (1.3), 4.3 (2.0) and 3.6 (1.5) cm/year before and in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year of treatment. Skeletal maturation advanced faster than usual in Turner patients especially in the younger children. Although the mean height prediction increased by 5.6 cm and 11 of the 16 girls have now exceeded their predicted height, the height of the 4 girls who stopped GH treatment exceeded the predicted adult height by only 0 to 3.4 cm.

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Measurements of the distance between the testis and the pubic tubercle have been used to differentiate retractile testes from "real" cryptorchidism and to measure the effect of therapy. The intra-and inter-observer variation of these measurements was determined in 21 boys with incompletely descended testes treated with placebo. Patients were investigated in supine and squatting position, before and during moderate caudal traction. In squatting position the average distance is 20 mm greater than in supine position. The intra-observer SD is approximately 10 mm. It is doubtful if quantitative measurements can be used to define retractile testes. The wide prediction intervals should be taken into account in interpreting results of therapy. Die Variationsbreite innerhalb der Messungen des einzelnen Untersuchers und zwischen den Untersuchern in der Bewertung des HodendescensusZusammenfassung: Es wurden Messungen der Entfernung zwischen Hoden und Tuberculum pubicum angewandt, um retraktile Hoden von ,,richtigem" Kryptorchidismus zu unterscheiden und den Therapieerfolg zu beurteilen. Die Variationsbreite innerhalb der Messungen des einzelnen Untersuchers und zwischen den Untersuchern wurde ermittelt an 21 Jungen mit inkomplett descendierten Hoden, die mit Placebo behandelt wurden.Die Patienten wurden in Ruckenlage und in Hockstellung untersucht, vor und wahrend maSigem Zug nach kaudal. In Hockstellung ist die durchschnittliche Entfernung 20 mm groSer als in Ruckenlage. Die Standardabweichung innerhalb der Messungen des einzelnen Untersuchers ist ungefahr 10 mm. Es ist zweifelhaft, ob quantitative Messungen benutzt werden konnen, urn retraktile Hoden zu definieren.