Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

A Novel Method: Super-selective Adrenal Venous Sampling
Published on: September 15, 2017
Final height in congenital adrenal hyperplasia: the dilemma of hypercortisolism versus hyperandrogenism
Giovana Vignoli Cordeiro1, Ivani Novato Silva, Eugênio Marcos Andrade Goulart
1Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to identify factors that might interfere with reaching the final height in patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD).
Subjects And Methods:
Thirty-one patients with classical 21-OHD who reached their FH in our Institution were evaluated in order to compare the Z score for final height (FHZ) with: (1) the target height, (2) the standard height for the population, and (3) the hydrocortisone treatment schedule.
Results:
The FHZ of -2.13 ± 1.11 had a significant negative correlation with the hydrocortisone doses used throughout the period of study. Patients who reached FH within the normal population range were those who received lower doses of hydrocortisone, as compared to those whose FH remained below -2 SDS.
Conclusion:
We conclude that careful treatment adjustments have a major influence on growth of children with CAH, and that the dose range for hydrocortisone replacement that does not lead to side effects is relatively narrow. The better height outcome was achieved in 21-OHD patients who received lower doses of hydrocortisone.
Related Concept Videos
Adrenal Gland Disorders
Adrenal insufficiency, characterized by insufficient cortisol and aldosterone production, leads to conditions like Addison's disease. This disorder, affecting the adrenal cortex, exhibits symptoms such as skin bronzing, dehydration, low blood pressure, fatigue, and weight loss. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a genetic ailment causing...
Cushing Syndrome II: Pathophysiology
Cushing Syndrome I: Introduction
Hormones of the Adrenal Glands
The adrenal cortex, a powerhouse of hormone synthesis, generates over two dozen corticosteroid hormones. The zona glomerulosa produces mineralocorticoids, exemplified by aldosterone, influencing the electrolyte composition of body fluids. The synthesis of glucocorticoids such as cortisol and corticosterone...
Anatomy of the Adrenal Glands
These glands possess a distinctive yellow tinge due to the stored cholesterol and fatty acids required for hormone synthesis. They are encased in a fibrous capsule and cushioned by fat.
The adrenal gland comprises two distinct regions...
Nature and Nurture

