Stanhope answer re aromatase inhibitors

[Guest guest]

Dear Listserve:

Jen Salem here. I received an answer from Stanhope,

pediatric endocrinologist in London who is probably one of the most

published researchers on RSS and SGA children. Many of you have met

him at the last two MAGIC conventions.

After all of your postings on this subject, I asked for his

thoughts on the use of aromatase inhibitors to postpone adrenarche

in RSS and SGA children. He sent me a response he had published in

the Lancet, in support of another article about this use for that

reason. I am trying to add both the original article and his

response to the MAGIC library.

I also asked him about the email from help, was it the Blaus??,

whose endocrinologist said that there was an NIH 5-year study

showing that the use of aromatase inhibitors lead to osteoporosis.

Here is his response.

: " I think the use of aromatase inhibitors in pediatric

endocrinology is an extremely interesting area, but before using

them in individual patients, there needs to be some data that this

is effective on a double-blind clinical trial basis. Such trials

are being performed and there is some evidence now being accumulated

[Jen: evidence to the positive]. However, there is not really

enough information to make firm recommendations.

Don't worry about aromatase inhibitors causing osteoporosis. This

is a phenomenon that happens in adult women as oesterogen levels are

reduced by this drug. Of course, in children, this does NOT apply. "