Skeletal maturation and predicted adult height in children with premature adrenarche.

OBJECTIVE: Premature adrenarche (PA) may be associated with obesity and advanced bone age. Our objective was to determine if children with PA had a predicted adult height less than target height.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review identified 100 children originating predominantly from South and Central America and the Caribbean region previously diagnosed with PA from one pediatric endocrinology clinic.

RESULTS: The majority (89.2%) of the sample had advanced bone age, while 43.4% were obese and 41.8% had a predicted height below target. There was a significant correlation between body mass index Z-score and bone age advancement among boys (r=0.67, p<0.001). The majority (72.7%) of those with a predicted height below target had a bone age advancement of two standard deviations or more.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PA and obesity are associated with rapid skeletal maturation and that significant bone age advancement in PA is associated with a sub-optimal adult height.