Skeletal maturation and predicted adult height in children with premature adrenarche

Abstract

Premature adrenarche (PA) may be associated with obesity and advanced bone age. Our objective was to determine if children with PA had a predicted adult height less than target height. A retrospective chart review identified 100 children originating predominantly from South and Central America and the Caribbean region previously diagnosed with PA from one pediatric endocrinology clinic. The majority (89.2%) of the sample had advanced bone age, while 43.4% were obese and 41.8% had a predicted height below target. There was a significant correlation between body mass index Z-score and bone age advancement among boys (r=0.67, p<0.001). The majority (72.7%) of those with a predicted height below target had a bone age advancement of two standard deviations or more. These findings suggest that PA and obesity are associated with rapid skeletal maturation and that significant bone age advancement in PA is associated with a sub-optimal adult height.