THE URINARY EXCRETION OF NEUTRAL 17-KETOSTEROIDS IN CHILDHOOD

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Abstract
Neutral 17-ketosteroid estimations were performed on 24-hr. urine specimens from 63 normal prepubertal children by the colorimetric methods of Zimmermann and of Pincus. Color corrections were applied to eliminate the effect of interfering chromogen. A significant increase in excretion by children of both sexes after the age of 6 was found by both methods, but there was no significant sex difference. The Pincus reagent was insensitive to dehydroisoandrosterone so the approx. percentage of dehydroisoandrosterone in each urine specimen was calculated from the formula [image] where Z = Zimmermann value and P = Pincus value. This percentage was higher than in adults but tended to decrease as the children approached puberty.