GnRH Analogue Therapy Research Articles

Central precocious puberty should be taken seriously in children with Leydig cell tumors of the testis after surgical treatment: a tertiary center experience.

Central precocious puberty secondary to Leydig cell tumors is rare in children. We retrospectively analyzed the mid- to long-term follow-up data of patients with Leydig cell tumors. The clinical data of 12 consecutive patients who were treated at Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University (Beijing, China), between January 2016 and October 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical evaluations, including physical examination, hormone examination, serum tumor marker analysis, abdominal and scrotal ultrasound, chest X-ray, and bone age measurement, were conducted before surgery and at follow-up time points. Surgical approaches were selected according to the individual conditions. Patients with an abnormal hormonal status and suspected of having central precocious puberty were referred to endocrinologists to confirm the diagnosis. Subsequently, gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog therapy was proposed. The mean patient age was 81.3 (range: 40-140) months at the time of the operation. Ten patients had peripheral precocious puberty at admission. All patients had elevated preoperative testosterone levels, whereas tumor marker levels were normal. Testis-sparing surgery was performed in eleven patients, and radical orchiectomy was performed in one patient. The follow-up duration (mean ± standard deviation) was 36.2 ± 25.3 months. Five patients had central precocious puberty, with a mean duration of 3.4 (range: 1-6) months postoperatively. Three patients were receiving gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog therapy, and good suppression of puberty was observed. No risk factors were found for secondary central precocious puberty. There was a high prevalence of central precocious puberty secondary to Leydig cell tumors in our study. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog therapy has satisfactory treatment effects. Larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up are needed in future studies.

The role of body composition and appetite-regulating hormones in idiopathic central precocious puberty and their changes during GnRH analog therapy.

It was aimed to compare circulating levels of ghrelin, leptin, peptide YY (PYY), and neuropeptide (NPY) between girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) and prepubertal girls, as well as to evaluate alterations in these hormone levels and body composition during leuprolide acetate treatment in girls with ICPP. This prospective study was conducted on girls with isolated premature thelarche (IPT), girls with ICPP, and age-matched prepubertal controls. Anthropometric measurements, body composition analysis and appetite-regulating hormone level measurements were performed in each group and also at the 6th and 12th months of the leuprolide acetate treatment for the girls with ICPP. Seventy-three girls participated in the study (24 girls with ICPP, 28 with IPT, and 21 prepubertal controls). No significant differences were observed in ghrelin, leptin, PYY, and NPY levels among the three groups. Leuprolide acetate treatment resulted in increased leptin, decreased PYY and NPY levels, and no significant changes in ghrelin. Despite no significant change in body mass index standard deviation score (BMI SDS), body fat percentage increased during treatment. While appetite-regulating hormones do not seem to directly contribute to precocious puberty pathogenesis, puberty blockade was shown to lead to altered levels of these hormones along with changes in body composition.

Sterile abscess formation with two different GnRH analogues: Three case reports

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) have been used safely for many years in the treatment of precocious puberty. Although rare, pain, swelling, and erythema at the injection site are known local side effects in patients receiving GnRHa treatment and are temporary. Sterile abscess development is also one of the rare local side effects. Here, we present three cases of treatment failure due to the development of sterile abscesses after GnRHa therapy. Sterile abscesses developed in three girls who were followed up with a diagnosis of precocious/progressive puberty respectively in 4., 12. and 5. doses of GnRHa treatment. In the first case, a sterile abscess recurred despite the therapy being switched to another preparation. We had to follow up without treatment in three of our cases. Although sterile abscess is a rare side effect, it is essential as it causes patients to be left untreated. In these cases, the drug’s active substance accumulates in the localization at the sterile abscess and cannot be absorbed, so it cannot enter the systemic circulation. Therefore, puberty cannot be suppressed. Also, a remaining scar is annoying for patients and their families.

Laparoscopic medulla-sparing ovarian tissue biopsy for cryopreservation: step-by-step surgical technique

To describe a laparoscopic technique for ovarian tissue biopsy (OTB) for fertility preservation. In the last years, the demand for fertility preservation has grown because of the increasing survival rates among patients with cancer and the rising awareness of the importance of quality of life after gonadotoxic therapy. Among fertility-sparing approaches, ovarian tissue cryopreservation is a valid strategy to preserve ovarian endocrine and reproductive function in prepubertal and postpubertal women who will undergo gonadotoxic cancer treatments. Currently, there is no universal consensus regarding ovarian tissue retrieval technique for fertility preservation. Step-by-step description of the surgical technique with narrated video footage. Academic tertiary hospital. Patients with a high risk of premature ovarian insufficiency, usually due to gonadotoxic treatments, who undergo OTB for fertility preservation were included in the study. In this video, we present the clinical case of a 28-year-old patient affected by Hodgkin lymphoma who underwent laparoscopy for OTB before chemotherapy. After exposing the chosen ovary, an incision at the tubal pole of the ovary is made with scissors. Through section and dissection, a large cortical biopsy of the ovary is performed without removing and avoiding any damage to the medulla. At the end of the procedure, hemostasis was achieved with selective coagulation using bipolar coagulation. Step by step educational video. The post-operative course was uneventful and the patient was discharge 24 hours after surgery. Standardization of a step-by-step laparoscopic technique can provide an effective method to optimize ovarian tissue removal while minimizing tissue injury. Medulla-sparing ovarian biopsy allows retrieval of only the cortical part of the ovary, maximizing the number of primordial follicles obtained without damaging the vascular supply of the ovary contained within the medulla. Primordial follicles are resistant to cryoinjury owing to their relatively inactive metabolism, and they are usually found at approximately 0.8 mm below the surface of the cortex. This technique could also reduce the back-table processing time of the ovarian tissue before cryopreservation. One disadvantage could be the difficulty of the technique compared to an oophorectomy because it requires a skilled surgeon that can easily find the cleavage plane between the medulla and the cortex, even in patients submitted to previous chemoradiotherapy or during gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue therapy.

Central Precocious Puberty in Italian Boys: Data From a Large Nationwide Cohort.

There are only a few nationwide studies on boys with central precocious puberty (CPP) and the last Italian study is a case series of 45 boys that dates back to 2000. We aimed to evaluate the causes of CPP in boys diagnosed during the last 2 decades in Italy and the relative frequency of forms with associated central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared to idiopathic ones. We performed a national multicenter retrospective study collecting data from 193 otherwise normal healthy boys with a diagnosis of CPP. Based on MRI findings, the patients were divided into: Group 1, no CNS abnormalities; Group 2, mild abnormalities (incidental findings) unrelated to CPP; and Group 3, causal pathological CNS abnormalities. The MRI findings show normal findings in 86%, mild abnormalities (incidental findings) in 8.3%, and causal pathological CNS abnormalities in 5.7% of the cases. In Group 3, we found a higher proportion of patients with chronological age at diagnosis < 7 years (P = .00001) and body mass index greater than +2 SDS (P < .01). Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue therapy was started in 183/193 subjects. The final height appeared in the range of the target height in all groups and in 9 patients in whom the therapy was not started. In our study on a large nationwide cohort of boys referred for precocious puberty signs, the percentage of forms associated with CNS abnormalities was one of the lowest reported in the literature.

Efficacy of vaginal estriol in patients on gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue therapy undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy

Efficacy of vaginal estriol in patients on gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue therapy undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy

The efficacy of medical management of leiomyoma-associated heavy menstrual bleeding: a mini review

Leiomyomas, or fibroids, are benign uterine tumors that are commonly associated with abnormal uterine bleeding-L particularly heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). Treatment options include expectant, medical, image-guided, and surgical. Medical management of HMB is the preferred first-line treatment and includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, contraceptive hormones, tranexamic acid, levonorgestrel intrauterine system, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists and antagonists, selective progesterone receptor modulators, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and aromatase inhibitors. Although alternatives such as vitamins and supplements have been suggested, there is currently a lack of robust evidence of their efficacy. Many of these therapies treat the symptoms rather than the underlying pathology. Progestin-based therapies are the most commonly utilized, although research supporting their effectiveness in the treatment of HMB is modest. Although GnRH agonists and antagonists, which are federal drug administration-approved therapies, provide substantial improvement in abnormal uterine bleeding-L with HMB, the effects typically last for the duration of therapy. Patients may also face financial barriers to GnRH analog therapy. Future studies are required to delineate the nonhormonal treatment options and the long-term management of leiomyoma-associated HMB.

Clinical Management and Therapy of Precocious Puberty in the Sapienza University Pediatrics Hospital of Rome, Italy.

Puberty identifies the transition from childhood to adulthood. Precocious puberty is the onset of signs of pubertal development before age eight in girls and before age nine in boys, it has an incidence of 1/5000-1/10,000 with an F:M ratio ranging from 3:1 to 20:1. Precocious puberty can be divided into central, also known as gonadotropin-dependent precocious puberty or true precocious puberty, and peripheral, also recognized as gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty or precocious pseudopuberty. Thus, the main aim of this narrative report is to describe the standard clinical management and therapy of precocious puberty according to the experience and expertise of pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists at Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. In the suspicion of early sexual maturation, it is important to collect information regarding the age of onset, the speed of maturation of secondary sexual features, exposure to exogenous sex steroids and the presence of neurological symptoms. The objective examination, in addition to the evaluation of secondary sexual characteristics, must also include the evaluation of auxological parameters. Initial laboratory investigations should include serum gonadotropin levels (LH and FSH) and serum levels of the sex steroids. Brain MRI should be performed as indicated by the 2009 Consensus Statement in all boys regardless of chronological age and in all girls with onset of pubertal signs before 6 years of age. The gold standard in the treatment of central precocious puberty is represented by GnRH analogs, whereas, as far as peripheral forms are concerned, the triggering cause must be identified and treated. At the moment there are no reliable data establishing the criteria for discontinuation of GnRH analog therapy. However, numerous pieces of evidence suggest that the therapy should be suspended at the physiological age at which puberty occurs.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Therapy and Longitudinal Bone Mineral Density in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia.

Children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are at risk for early puberty. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) is frequently used and can decrease bone mineral density (BMD). Our aim was to investigate the effect of GnRHa therapy on BMD in a longitudinal study of patients with CAH spanning both childhood and adulthood. Sixty-one patients with classic CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency (20 treated with GnRHa) were followed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans at puberty onset, attainment of adult height, and during early adulthood. Whole body, lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip, and distal radius BMD z-score at adult height. Longitudinal BMD and adult height were also assessed. Twenty patients received GnRHa for an average of 4.5 ± 2 years. There were no differences in BMD between GnRHa-treated and -untreated groups at adult height for all sites. Overall, the follow-up DXA during early adulthood showed decreases in BMD z-scores for whole body (P = .01), lumbar spine (P < .0001), femoral neck (P = .06), total hip (P = .009), and distal radius (P = .05). GnRHa treatment correlated with improved height outcomes compared to predicted height at puberty onset after adjusting for midparental height (P = .02). Patients in both groups achieved similar adult height. In children with CAH, GnRHa does not compromise BMD. However, BMD decreases with time and during the second and third decades of life is a possible effect of chronic supraphysiologic glucocorticoids. Children with CAH who experience early puberty benefit from GnRHa treatment as evidenced by the positive effect on height.

Blood pressure in girls with central precocious puberty receiving GnRH analogue therapy.

Case reports show hypertension in children treated with GnRH analogues for central precocious puberty (CPP). However, relevant data on blood pressure are scarce. We aimed to evaluate blood pressure (BP) among girls with idiopathic CPP and early-onset puberty before and during GnRH analogue therapy; and to examine associations of blood pressure with clinical parameters. For this retrospective longitudinal cohort study, demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory data were collected from electronic files. The study group included 112 girls with idiopathic CPP or early-onset puberty followed in a tertiary pediatric endocrinology institute, and a control group of 37 healthy pre-pubertal girls. The main outcome measures were BP percentile, before, and during treatment with GnRH analogue. At baseline, similar proportions of the study and control groups had BP values>90th percentile: 64 (53 %) and 17 (46 %), respectively (p=0.57). The mean systolic and diastolic BP percentiles measured under treatment remained unchanged. In the study group, baseline BP>90th percentile compared to normal baseline BP was associated with lower birthweight and a higher body mass index-standard deviation score: 2,821 ± 622 vs. 3,108 ± 485 g and 1.0 ± 0.7 vs. 0.70 ± 0.8, respectively, p=0.01 for both. GnRH analogue therapy for precocious or early puberty was not associated with increased blood pressure. The stability of mean blood pressure percentile during treatment is reassuring.

OR13-4 Bone Mineral Density in Transgender Youth on Gender Affirming Therapies

Abstract Background 2% of youth identify as transgender. Many have puberty blocked with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa), followed by testosterone (T) or estradiol (E2). Bone mineral density (BMD) effects of these therapies are understudied. Objective For youth on GnRHa alone or T or E2 +/- GnRHa, to evaluate: (1) BMD z-scores; (2) BMD z-score differences for those +/-GnRHa; and (3) associations between GnRHa duration and BMD z-score. Methods Cross-sectional study of transgender youth (n=56 age 10.4-19.8 years, 53% female sex assigned at birth) undergoing total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (Hologic Discovery A). Data are presented as median and interquartile range, group differences evaluated with Mann Whitney U tests and associations with Spearman correlations. Results BMD z-scores on GnRHa alone (n=19) were -0.5 (-1.4, 0.3) using male norms and -0.8 (-1.7, 0.3) using female norms. BMD z-score for transgender males (TM) on T (n=21, 5 with past GnRHa): -0.2 (-0.6, 0.0) using male norms, 0.4 (-0.3, 0.8) using female norms. BMD z-score for transgender females (TF) on E2 (n=16, 6 on current/past GnRHa): -0.4 (-1.2, 0.3) using male norms, -0.2 (-1.0, 0.7) using female norms. TM on T with prior GnRHa had significantly lower BMD z-scores than TM on T alone (p=0.004); but no differences for TF on E2 +/- GnRHa. GnRHa duration was inversely correlated with BMD z-score (male norms: r=-0.5, p=0.005, female norms: r=-0.4, p=0.029). BMD z-score was unrelated to length of T/E2 therapy or sex steroid concentrations. Conclusions Longer durations of GnRHa therapy were associated with worse BMD z-scores. Presentation: Sunday, June 12, 2022 11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Secondary cystic adenomyosis in a young woman: a case report

Background: Cystic adenomyosis (CA) is a rare form of adenomyosis. Case: We present for the first time secondary CA in a young woman with increased menstrual volume as the main clinical manifestation. A 23-year-old woman with a history of two uterine surgeries was hospitalized with increased menstrual flow volume and no dysmenorrhea or other discomfort. Ultrasound resulted in misdiagnosis as myoma of the uterus. She underwent laparoscopic surgery for adenomyoma excision with levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) placement. During surgery, the lesions were completely removed under ultrasound guidance, and a specimen bag was used to reduce residual lesions in the abdominal cavity. She was postoperative treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRH-a). Surgical findings and postoperative pathology confirmed CA. She has been followed up for 2 years without recurrence. Conclusions: A CA diagnosis should be considered for clinical manifestations of increased menstrual volume and dysmenorrhea in young patients with previous uterine surgery histories. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is very important for CA diagnosis. Conservative surgery along with GnRH-a and LNG-IUS therapy can effectively prevent recurrence.

Idiopathic central precocious puberty with Prader-Willi syndrome: pubertal development with discontinuation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog.

SummaryPrader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic imprinting disorder that is characterized by obesity, short stature, and hypogonadism. Hypogonadism is characterized by normal luteinizing hormone (LH), high follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), low testosterone, low inhibin B, and relatively low anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). Only a few cases of central precocious puberty (CPP) have been reported in PWS, and follow-up for CPP with PWS is not established. Hence, we present a boy with PWS accompanied by CPP. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) therapy was started at 7 years of age, CPP was adequately arrested, and GnRHa therapy was discontinued at 11.3 years of age. Growth hormone (GH) therapy was started at 12 years of age due to inadequate growth. He grew close to his final height, and his testes developed with normal LH, increased FSH, normal testosterone, and reduced AMH corresponding to puberty at 13.5 years of age. The features of 16 patients with PWS with CPP, including our patient, were summarized. Out of seven male patients, five were treated with GnRHa, as well as four out of nine female patients. Out of 16 patients, 6 were assessed with pubertal development over 13 years of age. Pubertal development was considered to be restored in four patients who had GnRHa therapy discontinuation. We should carefully follow-up on pubertal development in CPP. GnRHa therapy is useful for adequate puberty blockage, and pubertal development could be restored with GnRHa therapy discontinuation.Learning pointsPubertal development in Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) varies from hypogonadism to precocious puberty.Pubertal development assessment based on clinical features and hormone levels is needed in central precocious puberty (CPP) treatment with PWS.Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) therapy is useful for CPP with PWS, and pubertal development can be restored with GnRHa therapy discontinuation.

Status of Central Precocious Puberty Cases at the Onset of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience.

ObjectiveThe onset of puberty in children is occurring at an increasingly earlier ages. During the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, children experienced epidemic-related changes such as stress, sedentary lifestyle, and weight gain.Materials and Methods Auxological, clinical, endocrinological, and radiological data in the files of 57 patients who were given gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog therapy with the diagnosis of central precocious puberty between April 1 and July 1, 2019 (group 1) and April 1 and July 1, 2020 (group 2) were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsA total of 27 patients (26 girls, 1 boy) in group 1 and 30 patients (28 girls, 2 boys) in group 2 were diagnosed with central precocious puberty. Mean ages at diagnosis for groups 1 and 2 were 28.54 ± 0.94 and 7.92 ± 0.96 years, respectively (P = .018). Mean bone age at diagnosis for group 1 was 9.78 ± 1.48 (6.8-12), and for group 2 it was 8.78 ± 1.11 (6.5-12) years (P = .013).The mean age of starting treatment in groups 1 and 2 was 8.94 ± 0.17 (6.8-9.8) and 8.07 ± 0.02 (5.8-10) years, respectively (P = .002). Average birth weights for groups 1 and 2 were 950 ± 1100 (2300-3400) and 3180 ± 717 (870-3820) g, respectively (P = .012). Treatment was started when breast stage was T3 in 57.69% of group 1 and T2 in 75% of group 2, and a statistical difference was found between them (P = .006) and uterine length was higher in group 2 (P = .144).Conclusion: During the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, patients who start central precocious puberty therapy were of younger age. In our single-center experience, coronavirus 2019 was not seen to have a significant impact on central precocious puberty.

Abstract 54: Clinical and biochemical outcomes of gonadotropin -Releasing hormone analogue therapy in a cohort of children with central precocious puberty from Kerala

Background: Large scale studies of outcomes of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) therapy for Central Precocious puberty (CPP) are not available from our part of the country.Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of GnRHa with clinical and biochemical parameters in a cohort of children with CPP.Methodology: Retrospective analysis of case records of 33children (30 females and 3 males) diagnosed with CPP on GnRHa (Leuprolide acetate depot) was done.Results: CPP was idiopathic in 20 and organic in 13 children. Median age at onset of puberty was 6.75years (range 0.75 – 8.9 years) and at start of treatment was 7years. The Median duration of therapy was 2.75years (range= 5months-9years). 52% attained LH Suppression in one year and 81% in two years. 92% patients had regression in tanner's stage by a median of 11months. BA was advanced by a median of 4.45 SD which reduced to 2.8SD at the end of therapy. Duration of therapy had significant effect in halting BA progression (p=0.004). The median height centile of 86.25 at presentation normalised in 89% at treatment completion.Conclusion: GnRHa therapy in our cohort of CPP children was effective in reversing puberty and slowing bone age advancement despite a late age of onset of treatment.

Body composition in sexual precocity.

In this review, we have summarized the current data on the effect of sexual precocity and treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) on body composition. Higher body weight and weight gain in infancy and childhood may increase the risk of early puberty in girls. The relation between BMI and pubertal onset in boys is controversial. Current studies draw attention to the fact that a similar relationship may exist in boys too. Obesity prevalence is high among girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) and treatment with GnRHa has a different effect on BMI according to baseline body composition. Although BMI values of normal weight girls tend to increase under treatment, they return to normal following treatment. The few studies that have followed up body composition longitudinally in girls show a gradual increase in adiposity, decrease in muscle mass and bone mineral density during GnRHa treatment, whereas bone mass was preserved after treatment. Adequate data are not available in boys to determine the effect of GnRHa therapy on body composition. Body composition and fat distribution should be monitored longitudinally in patients with CPP treated with GnRHa to ascertain the long-term effects of therapy.

Gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue treatment of central precocious puberty is not associated with altered prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome: a single center cohort study

BackgroundThere is conflicting evidence regarding an association between gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) therapy and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This study aimed to compare the prevalence of endocrine disorders, primarily PCOS, between women who had been treated with GnRHa for central precocious puberty (CPP) and those who were not treated.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study, including women diagnosed with central precocious puberty between 1989 and 2011 in a university affiliated tertiary medical center. Data collected included demographic data, medical background, clinical presentation at diagnosis and duration of treatment (zero for non-treated). Gynecologic and endocrine long-term outcomes were compared by treatment group.ResultsFifty-one women were included in the study, 27/51 had been treated with gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa). Overall prevalence of PCOS was 19.6%. No statistically significant difference in prevalence of PCOS was demonstrated between the treated and non-treated groups. Similarly, overall prevalence of either clinical or laboratory hyper-androgenism, was 29.4% and 33.3%, for the treatment and non-treatment groups respectively (p = non-significant).ConclusionsGnRHa treatment for precocious puberty is not associated with increased risk of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Determinants of Final Height in Patients Born Small for Gestational Age Treated with Recombinant Growth Hormone

Introduction: About 8% of children born small for gestational age (SGA) do not reach a final height within the normal range. Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) has been shown to be effective in increasing the final height in children born SGA. Our objective was to identify predictive factors of final height in children born SGA treated with rhGH. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, conducted in a tertiary pediatric endocrinology referral center, we recruited all patients born SGA (defined as birth length or weight <10th percentile) treated with rhGH for more than 12 months for whom final height data were available. Some patients had received gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog therapy. Results: We included 252 patients with an average birth length of −2.0 ± 0.7 SD and birth weight of −1.7 ± 1.0 SD. After 4.6 ± 2.8 years of rhGH treatment, their height increased from −2.2 ± 0.9 SD to −1.5 ± 0.9 SD. In multivariate analysis, we identified 8 factors that predict 46% of the final height, namely, cause of SGA (p < 0.0001), GnRH analog therapy >2 years (p = 0.006), birth length (p < 0.02), height at the start of rhGH (p < 0.0001), IGF-1 level at the start of rhGH (p = 0.0002), growth velocity during the 1st year of treatment (p = 0.0002), and age and height at the onset of puberty (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0007, respectively). Conclusion: In this large cohort of SGA patients who had reached their final height, we were able to confirm that growth hormone increases final height in short SGA children. In addition, we identified several factors associated with a better response to growth hormone treatment.

The Use of Morning Urinary Gonadotropins and Sex Hormones in the Management of Early Puberty in Chinese Girls.

ContextAlthough gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test (GnRHST) is the gold standard in diagnosing central precocious puberty (CPP), it is invasive, expensive, and time-consuming, requiring multiple blood samples to measure gonadotropin levels.ObjectiveWe evaluated whether urinary hormones could be potential biomarkers for prepuberty or postpuberty, aiming to simplify the current diagnosis and prognosis procedure.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study of a total of 355 girls with CPP in National Clinical Research Center for Child Health in China, including 258 girls with positive and 97 girls with negative results from GnRHST. Twenty patients received GnRH analogue (GnRHa) treatment and completed a 6-month follow up. We measured luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, prolactin, progesterone, testosterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin in the first morning voided urine samples.ResultsTheir urinary LH levels and the ratios of LH to FSH increased significantly with the advancement in Tanner stages. uLH levels were positively associated with basal and peak LH levels in the serum after GnRH stimulation. A cutoff value of 1.74 IU/L for uLH reached a sensitivity of 69.4% and a specificity of 75.3% in predicting a positive GnRHST result. For the combined threshold (uLH ≥ 1.74 + uLH-to-uFSH ratio > 0.4), the specificity reached 86.6%. After 3 months of GnRHa therapy, the uLH and uFSH levels decreased accordingly.ConclusionuLH could be a reliable biomarker for initial CPP diagnosis and screening; uLH could also be an effective marker for evaluating the efficacy of clinical treatment.

An Exploration of the Reproductive Health Concerns in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

An Exploration of the Reproductive Health Concerns in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus