Human Growth Hormone in the Treatment of Fresh Fractures

produces a reduction in the total erythrocyte volume (TEV) (Bozzini 1965). Oxymetholone is a synthetic steroid which is effective in increasing the incorporation of ra dioiron into red blood cells of polycythemic mice (Bozzini and Alippi 1971). Doornenbal, Asdell and Comar (962) have found in rats tbat TEV is better correlated to lean body mass (LBM) than to body weight. Since not only hypophysectomy (Bozzini, Ko[oed, Niotti, Alippi and Barrionuevo 1970) but also oxymetholone treatment results in alterations in body com position which make it difficult to interpret TEV variations when its value is expressed in relation to body weight, decisions regarding the influence of oxymetholone on erythropoiesis in the hypophysectomized rat must Oe based upon what effect the steroid may have on LBM. This communication presents an attempt to determine the relationship of oxymetholone-in duced increments in TEV to alterations in body composition in long-term hypophysectomized rats. Male Wistar rats weighing about 130 g were hypophysectomized through the parapharyngeal approach. Injections of oxyme tholone (Laboratorios Gador, Argentina), in doses of 0.8 and 1.6 mg/daY for the different groups, were begun 90 days after hypophysectomy and continued for 30 days. TEV and LBM were determined as previously described (Bozzini et aL 1970).