Urinary cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate excretion in children of short stature: Effect of somatotropin

Abstract

Excretion of urinary cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) was determined in twenty-four children of short stature and in sixteen normal children. Of the patients, eight suffered from anterior panhypopituitarism, six from isolated deficiency of somatotropin, seven had a family history of short stature, and three had growth failure of pre-natal onset. In children suffering from anterior panhypopituitarism or from isolated somatotropin deficiency, excretion of cAMP was found to be depressed. Short-term administration of purified somatotropin in normal therapeutic dose (3.4 mg per 1.7 m² i.m. daily for 5 days) had no effect on urinary cAMP, but reduced urine volume in all patient groups. During somatotropin treatment there was a positive correlation between changes in urine volume and nitrogen balance (r = 0.67).

Key Words:

• children of short stature
• cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP)
• somatotropin
• somatotropin deficiency