ESPE Abstracts

Background: Neurokinin B and kisspeptin appear to play main roles in puberty.

Aims and objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic role of kisspeptin and neurokinin B in central precocious puberty (CPP) and premature thelarche (PT).

Methods: The girls who presented with breast development (between 5 and 8 years) were included in the study. All cases underwent bone age (BA) assesment. Basal serum FSH, LH and E2 and peak FSH, LH were measured after GnRH test. Patients who had peak LH >5 mIU/ml and a bone age/chronological age (CA) ratio >1 were diagnosed as CPP, while cases who did not have these criteria were as PT. Organic pathologies were excluded. Healthy, similar age prepubertal girls were included as control group. Neurokinin B and kisspeptin levels were measured by ELISA method.

Results: The study included 25 CPP (7±0.8 years), 35 PT (6.8±0.7 years) and 30 controls (6.7±0.7 years). BA, BA/CA ratio, basal LH, peak LH were significantly different between CPP and PT groups (P<0.05). Serum kissppeptin and neurokinin B levels were detected as (2.36±0.47 pg/ml and 2.61±0.32 ng/ml) in CPP, (2.23±0.43 pg/ml and 2.24±0.23 ng/ml) in PT and (1.92±0.33 pg/ml and 2.03±0.24 ng/ml) in controls. Kisspeptin and neurokinin B levels were significantly higher in CPP and PT group compared to controls (P<0.05). While neurokinin B level was significantly different between CPP and PT groups (P<0.01), no significant difference was found in kisspeptin level. Neurokinin B value of 2.42 ng/ml provided the most appropriate level with a sensitivity of 84% and specificity 77.1% differantial diagnosis of CPP and PT.

Conclusions: Increased serum levels of kisspeptin and neurokinin B in patient with PT and CPP suggest that they play role during the initiation of puberty. Neurokinin B could be used to differentiate with CPP from PT.