The effect of oxandrolone on the growth hormone response to growth hormone releasing hormone in children with constitutional growth delay.

The effect of treatment with oxandrolone, an anabolic steroid, on GH response to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) has been evaluated in children with constitutional growth delay. Five subjects, four males and one female, aged 11.0-17.1 years were given oxandrolone 0.1 mg/kg p.o. daily for 2 months, and underwent acute administration of GHRH (GRF 1-40, 1 microgram/kg i.v.) before and after withdrawal of oxandrolone therapy. GHRH administration induced a much greater GH response, evaluated either as a peak plasma GH levels or plasma GH integrated area, after than it did before oxandrolone treatment. These findings indicate that in children with constitutional growth delay oxandrolone increases the sensitivity of somatotrophs to exogenous GHRH and, likely, to the endogenously-released neurohormone.