ESPE Abstracts

Purpose: A decline in the age of pubertal onset and increases in the prevalence of central precocious puberty (CPP) have recently been widely reported throughout the world. Based on national population data, this study was conducted to analyze Korea's CPP incidence rate.

Methods: Between 2012 and 2020, data from the Korean national health insurance service for girls aged 8 years and younger and boys aged 9 years and younger were analyzed. CPP was defined as the gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test (GnRHt) positive (peak luteinizing hormone ≥5 mIU/mL) at less than 8 years for girls and less than 9 years for boys. The inclusion criteria are the positivity of GnRHt and the use of therapeutic drugs for more than 6 months. The genetic, neuro-developmental, cancerous, metabolic diseases and prematurity, small for gestational age were excluded.

Results: The size of the population aged 0 to 8 included in the analysis ranged from 2.4 million in 2012 to 2.0 million in 2020 in boys and aged 0 to 7 included in the analysis ranged from 2.0 million in 2012 to 1.7 million in 2020 in girls. In boys, the overall incidence rate of CPP per 100,000 was 15.9 in 2012 and it increased to 99.6 in 2020, and in girls, 981.0 in 2012 and 1754.6 in 2020. In 2012, 73.7% of boys diagnosed with CPP were 7 and 8 years old, in 2020 it increased to 96.2% in the same age group. In girls, 86.3% of CPP were diagnosed at 6 and 7 years old in 2012, compared to 96.8% in 2020 at the same age group.

Conclusion: Between 2012 to 2020, although the population was declining, the incidence rate of CPP per 100,000 was increasing in boys, from 15.9 in 2012 to 99.6 in 2020, and in girls, from 981.0 in 2012 to 1754.6 in 2020. Further research on the continuous and rapid increase in CPP is needed.