Evaluation of serum kisspeptin levels in girls in the diagnosis of central precocious puberty and in the assessment of pubertal suppression.

BACKGROUND: Onset of puberty is dependent on pulsatile secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). The kisspeptin-GPR54 signaling system has a considerable role in GnRH physiology and induction of puberty.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate kisspeptin levels in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) at the time of the diagnosis and during follow-up, to determine whether or not kisspeptin may serve as a marker for diagnosis and follow-up of CPP.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Kisspeptin levels of 28 girls with CPP were measured at the time of diagnosis and repeated at the 6th month of therapy after complete pubertal suppression and compared to kisspeptin levels of 13 age-matched prepubertal controls.

RESULTS: Kisspeptin levels of girls with CPP (10.2 +/- 2.6 pg/mL) were higher than those in controls (8.6 +/- 1.5 pg/mL (p = 0.019). There was a significant decline in the kisspeptin levels (7.3 +/- 1.3 pg/mL) of girls with CPP after pubertal suppression (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that kisspeptin levels can be used as corroborative evidence for diagnosis of CPP and a valuable parameter for monitoring treatment efficacy.