DIFFERENCES IN CORTICOSTEROID EXCRETION PATTERN BETWEEN INFANTS AND CHILDREN WITH THE ADRENOGENITAL SYNDROME

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Abstract
In a previous study of infants and children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia two types of corticosteroid excretion pattern were demonstrated. The dominating steroid excreted by the older children was found to be pregnane-3[alpha],17[alpha],20-triol whereas the infants, who were "salt-losers" or "potential salt-losers", excreted fifty to sixty per cent of the corticosteroids as pregnant-3[alpha], 17[alpha], 20-triol-11-one. Two of these infants were reexamined at the age of 2 1/2 years and it was found that the pattern of the non-ketonic steroids had changed and was similar to that demonstrated by older children. The implications of these findings are discussed and it is concluded that the change is most probably related to age. Why the adrenal capacity to oxidize at C-11 decreases with age is obscure.