Acceleration of luteinizing hormone pulse frequency in adolescent girls with a history of central precocious puberty with versus without hyperandrogenism.
Some adolescents with a history of idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) develop hyperandrogenism.


OBJECTIVE
Luteinizing hormone (LH) hypersecretion could be a common mechanism underlying ICPP and polycystic ovary syndrome.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the GnRH-LH axis in those patients.


METHODS
To compare overnight LH secretion in 7 healthy adolescents (CG) with that in patients with prior ICPP [5 with (CPPA) and 7 without (CPPB) hyperandrogenism]. To analyze daytime LH secretion in those patients.


METHODS
LH secretion was quantified by immunofluorometry and deconvolution analysis.


RESULTS
Nighttime mean LH (international units/liter) was higher in CPPA (6.9 +/- 1.5) than in CPPB (3.2 +/- 0.4, p < 0.05) and CG (2.9 +/- 0.4, p < 0.01). Deconvolution analysis revealed a greater nighttime LH frequency (pulses/hour) both in CPPA (0.91 +/- 0.06, p < 0.01) and CPPB (0.74 +/- 0.02, p < 0.05) than in CG (0.45 +/- 0.07). CPPA patients maintained a higher frequency than CPPB. Pulsatile LH production was greater in CPPA than in CG (50 +/- 12 vs. 18 +/- 3 IU/l/day, p < 0.01). Daytime mass of LH released per burst and pulsatile production rate were significantly greater in CPPA than in CPPB patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperandrogenic adolescents with prior ICPP show increased pulsatile LH secretion. Augmentation of LH pulsatility may predispose to or cause hyperandrogenism in some adolescents with a history of precocious puberty.
Escobar
María Eugenia
ME
Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas (CEDIE), División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina. meugeniaescobar@cedie.org.ar
Ropelato
María Gabriela
MG
Ballerini
María Gabriela
MG
Gryngarten
Mirta Graciela
MG
Rudaz
María Cecilia García
MC
Veldhuis
Johannes D
JD
Barontini
Marta
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D017588:Hyperandrogenism / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone