Oxandrolone in constitutionally delayed growth, a longitudinal study up to final height.

Twenty-seven prepubertal boys and 9 prepubertal girls with constitutionally delayed growth were treated with the anabolic steroid oxandrolone for 12 months and followed until they reached final height. Sixteen boys were treated with a mean dose of 0.12 mg/kg-day [low dose (LD)] and 11 boys with a mean dose of 0.22 mg/kg-day [high dose (HD)]. The girls were treated with a mean dose of 0.1 mg/kg-day. Thirteen boys and 9 girls served as controls. On oxandrolone the mean height velocity increased from 4.0 to 8.6 (boys, LD), from 4.3 to 8.9 (boys, HD), and from 4.3 to 8.3 cm/dyr (girls).The immediate posttreatment height velocity was significantly higher than the pretreatment height velocity (P < 0.05), regardless of whether the patients had entered puberty. On oxandrolone the mean ratios of change in bone age/change in chronological age were 2.0 (boys, LD), 2.3 (boys, HD), and 2.0 yr/yr (girls) and continued to be accelerated during the 6 months after treatment. Height predictions at the onset of treatment an...