Hormone Gel Helps Turner Syndrome

A Finnish study of 23 girls with Turner syndrome found that an estradiol gel, a form of estrogen,may help. Turner syndrome is caused when 1 of 2 X chromosomes that girls normallyhave is missing. The chromosome disorder results in various physical characteristics andincomplete ovaries.

For the study, the patients applied the gel once a day on the skin of the lower trunk or thighs.Reporting in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (July 2004), theresearchers found that the estradiol gel brings on slow, progressive pubertal developmentequal to natural puberty in such cases. Average blood levels of estradiol increased 8-fold duringthe 4-year study.

"The development of secondary sexual characteristics and uterine growth proceeded graduallyduring the study, mimicking natural puberty," investigators said. Researcher Saila Piippoadded, "The treatment can also be individualized with dose adjustments based on the signsof pubertal development and uterine growth measured by sonography and (hormone) concentrations."