Spontaneous growth and bone age development in a patient with 17alpha-hydroxylase deficiency: evidence of the role of sexual steroids in prepubertal bone maturation.

A male pseudohermaphrodite with 17alpha-hydroxylase deficiency and complete nonvirilization was monitored for excessive weight from the age of 3.5 to 11.5 years before the absence of sex steroids was detected. The retrospective analysis of growth data showed retarded bone age development despite adequate growth, which led to a remarkable increase in final height prognosis.