title: Serum hormone levels and anthropometric characteristics in girls with hyperandrogenism.
abstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome is considered to originate during puberty. The aim of this study was to investigate hormonal status in relationship to anthropometric data in girls with premature adrenarche and adolescent girls with hyperandrogenism, as these conditions are related to polycystic ovary syndrome in adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 girls with premature adrenarche (aged 4.9-10.2 years), 21 postmenarcheal girls with hirsutism (aged 13.3-17.8 years), 2 groups (n=13 in each) of healthy volunteers of similar age and body mass index participated in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels were significantly higher in all patients than in controls. Free androgen index and leptin levels were significantly higher, and sex-hormone-binding globulin lower in hirsute adolescents vs. controls. Birth weight standard deviation scores were comparable in all 4 groups. Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate negatively correlated with birth weight standard deviation scores in the group of girls with premature adrenarche (r=-0.57, p<0.001). By linear regression, 76% in variation of serum leptin levels could be explained by subscapular skinfold thickness standard deviation scores, and by serum sex-hormone-binding globulin, insulin, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels in all participants. Mean age of onset of menarche was younger in hirsute girls vs. controls (12.1+/-1.3 vs. 13.5+/-1.3 years, p=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inverse correlation of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels and weight at birth indicates relationship between premature adrenarche in girls and fetal growth. Higher leptin levels in adolescents with hyperandrogenism than in healthy girls show possible involvement of leptin in pathogenesis of hyperandrogenism.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eiveniu 2, 50009 Kaunas, Lithuania. s.zukauskaite@centras.lt
authors.forename: Sonata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zukauskaite
authors.forename: Audrone
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seibokaite
authors.forename: Liudvikas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lasas
authors.forename: Danute
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lasiene
authors.forename: Bronislava
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Urbonaite
authors.forename: Jūrate
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiesylyte
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008572:Menarche; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D011629:Puberty, Precocious; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate