Lack of effect of GnRH agonists on final height in girls with advanced puberty: a randomized long-term pilot study.
GnRH agonists improve final height in girls with "true" precocious puberty. To test if a comparable effect can be obtained in older girls, we performed a long-term controlled study in 30 caucasian girls whose puberty started between 8.4 and 10 yr (9.4 +/- 0.1 yr), a variant of normal called "advanced" puberty. At entry into trial, these girls had clinical, biological, and sonographic manifestations of puberty and a bone age greater than 10.9 yr. They were randomized 2:1 to receive 3.75 mg triptorelin im every 4 weeks for 2 yr (n = 20, group I) or no treatment (n = 10, group II). Mean height at inclusion was 135.2 +/- 4.3 cm (+0.6 SDS) in group I, 136.1 +/- 4.2 cm (+0.8 SDS) in group II, with target height 157.6 +/- 4.3 cm (group I) and 157.8 +/- 4.7 cm (group II), and predicted height (Bayley-Pinneau) 154.1 +/- 3.9 cm and 155.2 +/- 3.7 cm. Although GnRH agonists transiently delayed sexual maturation as well as bone age and growth rate, they had no clear-cut long-standing effect, and final height was comparable in treated (157.6 +/- 4.0 cm) and untreated girls (156.1 +/- 5.3 cm) (NS).
Bouvattier
C
C
Pediatric Endocrinology, Hôpital Cochin-Saint Vincent de Paul, Paris, France.
Coste
J
J
Rodrigue
D
D
Teinturier
C
C
Carel
J C
JC
Chaussain
J L
JL
Bougnères
P F
PF
D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone