ESPE Abstracts (2018) 89 P-P1-230

ESPE2018 Poster Presentations Sex Differentiation, Gonads and Gynaecology or Sex Endocrinology P1 (35 abstracts)

Testicular Ultrasound Measurements to Stratify Pituitary-Gonadal Hormone References in a Cross-Sectional Norwegian Study of Male Puberty

Andre Madsen a, , Oehme Ninnie c, , Ingvild Bruserud d, , Mathieu Roelants f , Geir Egil Eide g , Jørn Sagen a, , Gunnar Mellgren a, & Pétur Júlíusson d,


aHormone Laboratory, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; bDepartment of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; cDepartment of Paediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, Bergen, Norway; dDepartment of Clinical Science, Section of Paediatrics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; eDepartment of Paediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; fLaboratory of Anthropogenetics, Vrije Universiteit, Brussels, Belgium; hDepartment of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Research Group for Lifestyle Epidemiology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; iKG Jebsen Center for Diabetes Research, Bergen, Norway


Background: Recent research has demonstrated earlier testicular and pubertal development in Western boys. New ultrasound-based references of testicular growth in Norwegian boys are now available. Population specific references for FSH, LH and sex steroid hormones have not been previously available in Norwegian children and adolescents.

Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to provide an elaborate description of pubertal development in a sample of contemporary Norwegian boys, based on clinical evaluation, ultrasound determined testicular volume and hormonal levels.

Method: As part of the cross-sectional ‘Bergen Growth Study 2’, we examined 451 boys aged 6-16 years. All boys were examined during school hours which included assessment of Tanner P-stage, ultrasound imaging of the testicular length, height and width (converted to volume), and collection of blood samples. Total testosterone levels were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and peptide hormones FSH, LH and SHBG were measured on Immulite 2000. Reference intervals were estimated with the GAMLSS framework within R.

Results: Reference intervals for the hormonal values based on age, testicular volume and Tanner P-stages are presented.

Conclusion: Novel and objective references for key pubertal hormones and ultrasound-based testicular volume are available to complement traditional Tanner staging for clinical assessments of individual children during the pubertal transition.

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