Determinants of pubertal progression and final height in premature pubarche.
A corrected height score above 1.8 predicts progression to central precocious puberty.
Determinants of pubertal progression and final height in premature pubarche.
Premature pubarche (premature pubarche), defined as the early onset of pubic hair and often associated with mild androgen excess, is a common reason for referral to a pediatric endocrinologist.
To identify predictors of pubertal progression and final height (final height) in girls with premature pubarche and to evaluate growth outcomes in those progressing to central precocious puberty.
We retrospectively analyzed 88 girls with premature pubarche who attained final height; 13 progressed to central precocious puberty (premature pubarche-to-central precocious puberty).
At presentation, corrected height SDS (corrected height SDS) in girls with premature pubarche correlated with bone age-SDS and bone age/chronological age (bone age/CA) ratio (p=0.03 and p=0.007).
Corrected FH-SDS was positively associated with baseline corrected height SDS in both premature pubarche and premature pubarche-to-CPP groups (p<0.001 and p=0.0002).
Compared with premature pubarche, the premature pubarche-to-CPP group had higher baseline corrected height SDS, bone age-SDS and bone age/CA ratio (all p=0.02).
Growth relative to genetic potential and skeletal maturation at presentation were the strongest predictors of progression to central precocious puberty and final height outcomes in girls with premature pubarche.
Although dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate reflects adrenal maturation and early androgen exposure, baseline dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate concentrations were not associated with progression to central precocious puberty or long-term growth outcomes in our cohort.