Final height in girls with central idiopathic precocious puberty treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog and oxandrolone.
BACKGROUND
GnRH analogs (GnRHa) are considered the treatment of choice for central precocious puberty (CPP). During GnRHa administration, the suppression of the pituitary-gonadal axis results in decreased rates of linear growth and skeletal maturation and in improved adult height. However, in some patients, the growth deceleration is so marked that the expected improvement in predicted adult height is not achieved.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess whether the addition of oxandrolone (Ox) may affect the height outcome of patients with CPP and growth deceleration during GnRHa treatment.


METHODS
This was an open-label, clinical study.


METHODS
The study was performed at a pediatric endocrinology referral clinic.


METHODS
Twenty patients with CPP and marked growth deceleration during GnRHa treatment were studied.


METHODS
Treatment consisted of GnRHa (Leuprorelina, 3.75 mg im every 28 d) alone (10 patients) or in combination with Ox (0.06 mg/kg.d by mouth) (10 patients).


METHODS
The main outcome measure was the patients' adult height.


RESULTS
The adult height of the patients treated with GnRHa plus Ox was significantly higher than pretreatment predicted adult height (162.6 +/- 2.3 vs. 154.8 +/- 1.7 cm, mean +/- sem; P < 0.05) and target height (162.6 +/- 2.3 vs. 158.0 +/- 1.9; P > 0.05). Patients treated with GnRHa alone reached an adult height similar to the pretreatment predicted adult height (151.9 +/- 1.2 vs. 155.4 +/- 2.1 cm) but significantly lower than target height (151.9 +/- 1.2 vs. 156.6 +/- 1.4 cm; P < 0.005). No side effects were recorded in either group of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined GnRHa and Ox therapy is a viable treatment option for children with CPP and marked growth deceleration during treatment with GnRHa alone.
Vottero
Alessandra
A
Department of Pediatrics, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43100 Parma, Italy.
Pedori
Simona
S
Verna
Marta
M
Pagano
Blandina
B
Cappa
Marco
M
Loche
Sandro
S
Bernasconi
Sergio
S
Ghizzoni
Lucia
L
D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001827:Body Height / Q000187:drug effects*; D001846:Bone Development / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010074:Oxandrolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*
D045930:Anabolic Agents; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D010074:Oxandrolone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide