405 ZINC LEVELS IN CHILDREN WITH GROWTH RETARDATION

Concentration of zinc in hair and serum of children with short stature (familial or constitutional) was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Some of them were treated with methyltestosterone (MT), 10 mg. daily. Our Zn values were similar to those reported for normal children. Nevertheless, children receiving MT had higher Zn levels than the children without medication. Since Zn deficiency is associated with growth retardation, these results raise the question of whether increased Zn retention may be one of the mechanisms by which androgens accelerate growth. We were unable to find any significant difference between the Zn levels from children with familial short stature and those from children with constitutional growth delay.