Idiopathic precocious puberty versus puberty in adopted children; auxological response to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist treatment and final height.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of puberty and response to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment in adopted children compared with children with idiopathic precocious puberty (IPP).


METHODS
We studied 17 girls with central IPP (group A) and 11 girls adopted from Asia and Central and South America (group B) with respect to auxological data at presentation of puberty and response to GnRH agonist treatment.


RESULTS
In adopted girls, age at onset of puberty was later and duration of treatment was shorter. At the start of treatment, height-standard deviation score (H-SDS) was +1.67 s.d. in group A. In group B, H-SDS was comparably increased (+0.04 s.d.) assuming that the mean H-SDS in their native country is lower than the mean on the Dutch curve. During treatment, H-SDS decreased in both groups. Group A reached a final height (FH) of 166.2 cm (-0.3 s.d.) and group B of 156.1 cm (-1.9 s.d.). Predicted adult height (PAH) at the start of treatment underestimated FH in group A and overestimated FH in group B. At the end of treatment, PAH overestimated FH in both groups. The SDS for weight was above the mean in both groups at the start of treatment and increased even more during treatment. The age of occurrence of menses after treatment was stopped was the same in both groups (12.7 and 12.8 Years respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the difference in timing of puberty between girls with IPP and adopted girls with early puberty, their response to treatment was similar in many aspects.
Kempers
M J E
MJ
Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Otten
B J
BJ
D000300:Adoption; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists*; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008186:Luteolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D008186:Luteolytic Agents; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone