ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) results from the premature activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Is defined by the onset of secondary sexual characters before 8-years-old in girls and 9-years-old in boys. It’s associated with accelerated growth and advanced bone maturation and can lead to early epiphyseal fusion and reduced final height at adult age.

Aims: To evaluate and compare the differences in both clinical and analytical presentation in children with CPP, according to age.

Methods: Retrospective, descriptive and comparative study in children with the diagnosis of PPC, followed at a Pediatric Endocrinology unit, in a tertiary center. The first medical appointment occurred between January2002 and April2022. Medical records were consulted and collected data was: gender, nationality, family history of precocious puberty(PP), parental target height, CPP etiology, gestational age, birth somatometry, age of pubertal onset, age at referral to consultation and at first consultation. Regarding the first medical appointment, weight, height, body mass index(BMI) and growth rate were obtained, as well as the respective standard deviation(SD) according to the chronological age, using the World Health Organization(WHO) criteria. Laboratory data (Luteinizing hormone(LH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormones(FSH), estradiol and testosterone) and imaging findings were also collected. Statistical analysis was made using SPSS.

Results: Fifty-two children were included, 84.6%(n=44) female. Girls median age at puberty onset was 6.79years and at first consultation the mean age was 8.13years. Girls age of referral was significantly lower than boys (7.65vs.8.50 years; P=0.045). Idiopathic etiology was the most prevalent in both sexes. Basal and peak values of LH and FSH were higher in females(P>0.05). In girls, thelarche, as an initial clinical manifestation, appeared at higher mean ages (6.79 vs. 6.02years; P=0.09), whereas pubarche and growth acceleration were associated with lower ages of puberty onset (6.07±0.91years; P=0.034). Age of puberty onset was negatively correlated with the BMI SD(P=0.023). The first consultation´s age was positively correlated with the bone age and was associated with younger ages when performing the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone test. There were no statistical differences between age and somatometry at birth, gestational age, number of pubertal signs, auxological parameters at first consultation, growth rate, laboratory parameters and CPP etiology.

Conclusions: Our results are consistent to the ones reported in literature, with higher CCP incidence in girls and idiopathic etiology being the most frequent. Our findings are also in accordance with the knowledge of obesity and CCP association.