title: Early adrenarche in normal prepubertal girls: a prospective longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study basal and ACTH stimulated levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione (A4), and cortisol (F) in healthy girls during prepuberty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six prepubertal girls, ages 3.7-10.9 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The six girls underwent a physical examination and an acute ACTH stimulation test on a yearly basis. Serum DHEA, DHEAS, A4, and F at 0 min (Steroid0) and 60 min (Steroid60) after 0.25 mg ACTH1-24 i.v., and the net increment (delta Steroid60-0) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DHEAS0, DHEAS60, DHEA0, DHEA60 and A40 were positively correlated to chronological age. DHEAS0 and DHEAS60 levels rose gradually beginning at 6.1-7.0 years of chronological age, and were found to be significantly different at 9.1-10.0 years and 10.1-11.0 years of age, compared to the median values obtained at < or =6.0 years of age. There was a tendency for DHEA0, DHEA60, and A40 to increase beginning at 9.1-10.0 years of age. Net increment values of all hormones did not change throughout the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase in the circulating level of DHEAS appears to be the first event observed during adrenarche, prior to clinical evidence of the process.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine, The University ofAlabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. azzizr@cshs.org
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Azziz
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Knochenhauer
authors.forename: H Downing
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Larry R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Boots
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010808:Physical Examination; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011627:Puberty / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone