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In 11 patients with acromegaly the peripheral thyroid hormones were determined and a TRH-TSH-test was carried out. Depending on the result of the determination of the growth hormone the patients were classified into two groups (active and inactive acromegaly). The serum thyroxin level and the T3-binding capacity were normal. Only in a few patients decreased triiodotyronine levels were found. Independent of the degree of activity of the acromegaly positive as well as negative TRH-TSH-tests were found. The struma in patients with acromegaly which is frequently to be observed seems to be in a causal connection with this disease. The examination show altogether that the control of the function of the thyroid gland and the TRH-TSH-test do not deliver an essential contribution for the diagnostics of acromegaly itself.

Behaviour of human growth hormone (HGH) during preparation for a clinical test. 172 adults and 63 children were examined for the behaviour of their HGH basic values during preparation for a clinical test. Even before the beginning of the stimulation itself 11% of the adults and 47,5% of the children showed a fluctuation of the HGH levels in the serum. Neglect of these HGH movements involves the risk of misinterpretation and thus of false diagnosis. It therefore appears to be essential, especially for judging stunted-growth forms in childhood, to make tests for "empty stomach" values for the purpose of HGH determination at least 30 minutes before and immediately at the beginning of the stimulation test. The behaviour of the basic values must be included in the assessment of the test.

In a retrospective investigation 228 obese persons with healthy metabolism and diabetics (NIDD) were invited to a check-up 4-10 years after a reduction of weight which was performed during a clinical treatment in the 2nd Medical Clinic of Halle University. 95 patients did not comply with the invitation, 9 patients had died in the meantime. Among the 24 obese persons examined were 9 patients with NIDD. In other 19 patients a diabetic metabolic disturbance had become manifest in the meantime. 78 obese persons underwent a clinical examination, among them 9 NIDD. 60 patients had a normal and 18 a pathological carbohydrate tolerance. Of these 18 patients in 9 patients an up to now unknown diabetes mellitus could be proved. The obesity coincides with a relatively high rate of disturbed carbohydrate tolerance and a larger proportion of manifest diabetics compared with the normal population. In the own group of patients the morbidity of diabetes among the obese persons increases from 10.5 to 30% after on an average 7 years. Obese persons who had essentially exceeded their initial weight in the meantime and show further metabolic disturbances are particularly endangered.

It is reported on the possibilities of the application of anti-androgenics, especially of cyproterone acetate. The indication extends to hirsutism, sexual deviations, growth disturbances in pubertas praecox as well as diseases of the prostate. Particularly strong standard are to be applied in the treatment of fertile women, as there exists the danger of an intrauterine feminisation of male foetuses, when a pregnancy was not absolutely excluded. Side-effects and results of animal experiments are mentioned. The therapeutic mechanism of the anti-androgenics can be explained with the help of a concurrency mechanism at the androgen receptor or acceptor.

72 of 413 adults and 55 of 112 children with intact function of the hypophysis revealed secretions of the growth hormone already in the preparation time for a clinical test. These variations of the HGH basal levels must be regarded as conditioned on test. In the judgment of the function of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland with the help of the dynamics of the HGH-secretion the changes in the pretest-period should be included in order to avoid false diagnoses. From the secretion of the growth hormone conditioned on stress hitherto no conclusions can be made to the following course of the HGH-secretion.

In 142 test persons the insulin hypoglycaemia test as well as the glucagon propranolol test were performed under the interrogation of a hyposomatotropism. The combination of these tests proved as suitable for the answers to this inquiry. The insulin hypoglycaemia test led in 29%, the propranolol glucagon test only in 6% to the false indication of a hyposomatotropism. Thus the propranolol glucagon test has the higher diagnostic certainty. Insulin hypoglycaemia test and propranolol glucagon test seem to have a different effect.