ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Studies show that onset of puberty in girls is occurring at increasingly younger ages. Environmental endocrine disruptors are implicated in the etiology of early puberty. Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are one of the endocrine disruptor with proven estrogenic effects.

Aim: To investigate the effect of PCBs on premature puberty in girls.

Materials-Methods: The study group was selected from girls aged 2–8 years with a diagnosis of idiopathic premature puberty or isolated premature thelarche at the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic (Group 1). The healthy control group consisted of girls aged 2–8 years with no chronic disease or pubertal findings (Group 2). In Group 1, stages of puberty according to Tanner, anthropometric measurements, bone age, ovary and uterus dimensions with pelvic ultrasonography, basal serum LH, FSH, and E2 serum levels, and the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone test if necessary, were investigated. In Group 2, pubertal findings were evaluated via physical examination, and anthropometric measurements were performed. Twenty PCBs in first morning urine and serum specimens were analyzed in the study groups using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry method.

Results: Mean age was 6.7±1.2 years in group 1 and 5.2±1.2 in group 2. Mean weight SDS in groups 1 and 2 were 0.72±0.35, and −0.20±0.26 (P=0.008), respectively. Mean body mass index (BMI) SDS were 0.49±1.09, and −0.12±1.28 (P=0.083). Although no statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of BMI SDS, values were higher in subjects with premature puberty. No measurable PCBs were detected in any blood or serum specimens in the early puberty and control groups.

Conclusion: No association between PCBs and premature puberty was found in this study. In order for the endocrine disruptors to show their effects time, length and amount of exposure are important. We can conclude the exposure to PCBs in our region is not enough to show their effects on puberty.