Comparison of the Clinical and Anthropometric Features of Treated and Untreated Girls with Borderline Early Puberty.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Risks associated with precocious puberty might be observed in the rapidly progressive form of borderline early puberty (BEP). Differentiating the rate of progression is important for deciding treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa). The aim was to examine the treatment characteristics and effect of treatment on predicted adult height (PAH).

DESIGN: Retrospective observational study.

SETTING: Single-center, a pediatric endocrinology unit.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 135 girls, pubertal findings starting between 7-10 years of age.

INTERVENTIONS: Data were collected via chart review. Patient groups were defined as treated with GnRHa (n = 63) or untreated (n = 72) girls.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Referral characteristics and anthropometric and pubertal findings of the patients with BEP, effect of treatment on PAH, and final height of the groups were compared.

RESULTS: The mean (±SD) age of the patients at admission and for the first appearence of pubertal findings was 8.8 ± 1.0 and 8.0 ± 0.8 years, respectively. Target height and PAH-target height values at admission were similar. At initiation of treatment, PAH of the treated girls (157.8 ± 7.2 cm) were significantly lower compared with untreated girls (160.7 ± 6.5 cm). The age at menarche of patients in the treated and untreated groups were 12.3 ± 1.0 and 11.3 ± 1.1 years, respectively. The final height of the groups were similar (157.1 ± 6.6 vs 157.0 ± 5.9 cm; P = .922) despite a lower PAH of the treated group.

CONCLUSION: GnRHa treatment resulted in an increase in PAH and normalized the age of menarche in patients with BEP. In selected girls with rapidly progressive BEP, GnRHa treatment may be considered.