Constitutional delay of growth and adolescence.

In order to evaluate possible abnormalities among males with constitutional delay of growth and adolescence, hormonal responses and interrelationships have been extensively evaluated in a young man with a documented history of this condition and compared with young men with a history of normal puberty as controls. Normal hypothalamic-pituitary sensitivity to circulating sex steroids and a normal end-organ response (nitrogen and phosphorus retention) to testosterone stimulation were found. There was, however, a decreased gonadal (testosterone) response to gonadotropin (HCG) stimulation and a decreased pituitary response to clomiphene stimulation. These decreased responses could explain the observed adolescent delay in growth and maturation observed in these individuals.