[Conjugated-estrogen treatment of excessively tall girls (author's transl)].

46 excessively tall girls, aged 10.5-15 years and with a mean height prediction of 185.5+/-3.3 cm were treated with 7.5 mg conjugated estrogens daily and 5 mg gestagens daily for 5-10 days. Treatment for 30 girls has been completed. Bone age was assessed according to Tanner et al. taking into account midparent height. Mean bone-age was 13.0+/-0.6 years at the beginning and 15.5+/-0.6 years at the end of treatment. Duration of therapy was 19.6+/- 6.8 months and mean reduction of predicted height in all patients was 4.1+/-2.4 cm. Bone age subgroups do not alter the results. Bone maturation was accelerated by treatment to 1.8 years/year with marked acceleration during the first six months. Growth velocity was low during the 6th-12th month. Increase of growth was 1.4+/-1.2 cm in the second period of therapy, representing 50% of the initial phase. Side-effects were minimal. The results are in agreement with those reported in other comparable series.