Variation in 17 oxogenic steroid excretion following oral prednisolone in children with lymphoblastic leukaemia.

19 children in their first remission from "standard risk" lymphoblastic leukaemia had the urinary concentration of 17 oxogenic steroids (OGS) measured after two scheduled 5-day courses of prednisolone, only for the second of which were the parents aware of what the urine would be examined for. Despite a carefully standardised dose of the drug, there was a very wide scatter of OGS excretion which changed from time to time with each patient, but not in a way related to when the parents knew what was being measured. 6 low-excreting patients were reassessed in hospital with controlled compliance but only 1 produced her highest level under such circumstances. These results suggest variable bioavailability of prednisolone, but do not indicate the reason. Non-compliance does not appear to the sole explanation.