[Effectiveness of Leuprolide acetate therapy every three months in central precocious puberty].
BACKGROUND
Precocious puberty may reduce final adult height, and affected children may suffer social and emotional problems. The efficacy of treatment with a long acting agonist analogue of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (aLHRH) has been well demonstrated.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluated the efficacy of a new formulation of aLHRH (leuprolide, Lupron) for the suppression of gonadotropin activation and clinical signs of puberty.


METHODS
Eleven children (ten females) with idiopathic central precocious puberty, with a mean chronological age of 7.5+/-1.8 years and a bone age of 9.7+/-1.8 years were recruited. Testicular volume in the male was 15 ml. In females, Tanner stage for breast development was between 2-4 and mean ovarian volume was 2.3+/-0.8 ml. They were treated during 18 months with aLHRH, 11.25 mg administered intramuscularly every three months.


RESULTS
Clinical, hormonal and ultrasonographic signs of puberty regressed in all patients. The degree of suppression of LH was 87.7+/-5.1% at the end of the 18 months. No significant changes in bone mineral content were observed during the treatment period.


CONCLUSIONS
Leuprolide (aLHRH) 11.25 mg, injected every three months, is effective for the control of central precocious puberty and allows to reduce the number of yearly injections from 12 to 4.
Mericq G
M Verónica
MV
Departamento de Pediatría, Unidad de Endocrinología, Clínica Las Condes, Chile. vmericq@med.uchile.cl
Youlton R
Ronald
R
Willshaw Z
M Eugenia
ME
D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D001827:Body Height; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001846:Bone Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001940:Breast / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005299:Fertility Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000819:agonists* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D005299:Fertility Agents; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide