ESPE Abstracts

Background: The timing of puberty in children is occurring at an increasingly early age. During the COVID19 pandemic period, children experienced changes such as epidemic stress, sedentary life, and weight gain.

Aim: To make a retrospective evaluation of the incidence of newly diagnosed central precocious puberty (CPP) during the first months of COVID-19. And to compare these corresponding data with the previousy ear.

Methods: The files of 57 patients who were started GnRH analogue treatment with a diagnosis of CPP between April 1-July 1 2019 (group 1) and April 1-July 1 2020 (group 2) were retrospectively analyzed. We collected and evaluated the auxological, clinical, endocrinological and radiological data in all groups.

Results: 27 patients in group 1 (26 female, 1 boy) and, 30 patients in group 2 (28 female, 2 boys) were diagnosed CPP. The mean ages at the time of diagnosis for Group 1 and 2 were 8.43±1.27 and 7.87±1.11 years, respectively (p.0,026). The mean bone ages at diagnosis for Group 1 and 2 were 9.71±1.85 (3.8-13) and 8.72±1.56 (5.5-12) years, respectively (p.0,024). The mean ages of treatment initiation for Group 1 and 2 were 8.94±0.88 (6.8-9.9) and 8.07±1.11 (4.8-10) years, respectively (p.0,001). The mean birth weights for Group 1 and 2 were 2950±1100 (2300-3400) and 3180 ± 717 (870-3820)grams, respectively (p.0,012) (The SGA case number for Group 1 and 2: 4 and 2). The stage 3 breast development at the diagnosis time was found 57% in Group 1. The stage 2-3 breast development at the diagnosis time was found 64% in Group 2 (p.0.009). Family history, follow-up time, weight SDS, height SDS and BMI SDS values, pubic hair staging, basal LH, basal E2, peak LH values to LHRH stimulation and ovarian volumes at the beginning of treatment were found to be similar in all groups, but the uterine length was higher in Group 2 (p: 0.09).

Conclusion: During the COVID 19 pandemic period, it was found that the age of initiation of CPP treatment was earlier. However, no significant factor, such as obesity, was found to be effective on CPP. In our single center experience, COVID 19 did not have a significant effect on CPP. It was thought that the evaluation of these issue with larger series is needed.