ESPE Abstracts

Background and Aims: In light of the recent evidence suggesting an increase in idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aimed to assess the proportion of patients referred for precocious puberty (PP) and, within this group, the number of ICPP cases diagnosed before and during the pandemic. Additionally, we compared the demographic, anthropometric, and clinical characteristics of ICPP patients between the two groups (group 1 – pre-pandemic / group 2 – during COVID-19 pandemic).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients referred to a pediatric endocrinology unit at a tertiary-level hospital in Portugal for suspected PP from January 2018 to March 2020 (group 1) and from April 2020 to June 2022 (group 2). We collected data on PP referrals and diagnosed cases of ICPP, and then compared demographic, clinical, and anthropometric characteristics from the first visits of ICPP patients in both groups.

Results: From 258 patients referred for PP we diagnosed 20 patients with ICPP (19 girls, 1 boy). Four patients were diagnosed in the pre-pandemic group, and 16 patients were diagnosed after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. The number of patients diagnosed with ICPP during the pandemic period was significantly higher (16 vs 4; P<0,05). The pandemic group had significantly earlier thelarche onset (6,9 vs 7,3 years; P<0,05) and shorter time between treatment initiation and first visit (0,19 vs 0,79 years; P<0,05). The age at first visit, weight standard deviation score (SDS), height SDS, body mass index (BMI) SDS, Tanner stage at diagnosis, bone age at diagnosis, difference in bone and chronological ages, frequency of obesity or overweight, height SDS minus mid-parental height SDS, number of girls with menarche at diagnosis and number who required treatment were not significantly different between the two groups. Additionally, the number of referrals for PP (144 of 904 referrals) in the pandemic group was not significantly higher compared to the pre-pandemic group (114 of 758 referral; P>0,05).

Conclusion: This study revealed a fourfold increase in the diagnosis of ICPP among children, particularly girls, compared to the pre-pandemic period. Surprisingly, no significant increase in BMI was observed, suggesting that other factors may be involved. Larger-scale research is needed to validate these results and identify other potential contributing factors. Despite the pandemic, efficient work led to prompt treatment initiation without delays, unlike in other pathologies, as observed mainly in adults.