OBJECTIVES: To compare serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and peak growth hormone (GH) levels between girls with isolated premature thelarche (IPT) and central precocious puberty (CPP), to construct a prediction model for progression from IPT to CPP, and to assess its diagnostic value. METHODS: Girls diagnosed with IPT (n=111) between January 2022 and August 2023 at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Hospital were retrospectively included. According to follow-up outcomes, participants were categorized into a CPP group (35 cases) and an IPT group (36 cases). A clinical prediction model for progression to CPP was constructed by multivariable logistic regression, and the contributions of IGF-1 and peak GH were evaluated. Restricted cubic spline analysis was used to assess the dose-response relationships of IGF-1 and peak GH with CPP. Decision curve analysis was applied to evaluate clinical utility. RESULTS: IGF-1 and peak GH were higher in the CPP group than in the IPT group (P<0.05). Compared with model 1 (without IGF-1 and peak GH), model 2 (with IGF-1 and peak GH) showed significantly higher area under the curve, integrated discrimination improvement, and net reclassification improvement (all P<0.05). Model 2 (χ 2=6.054, P=0.889) also demonstrated better goodness-of-fit than model 1 (χ 2=7.717, P=0.634). Nonlinear dose-response relationships were observed for peak GH and IGF-1 with CPP (P for overall trend <0.05; P for nonlinearity <0.05). Decision curve analysis indicated that combined prediction using IGF-1 and peak GH provided greater net benefit than either biomarker alone. CONCLUSIONS Peak GH and IGF-1 are closely associated with progression from IPT to CPP in girls. A clinical prediction model incorporating peak GH and IGF-1 can improve prediction of progression to CPP and yield higher net benefit.
Humans ; Female ; Puberty, Precocious/etiology* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/analysis* ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; Human Growth Hormone/blood* ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Child, Preschool ; Logistic Models

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.
Humans ; Male ; Puberty, Precocious/etiology* ; Testicular Neoplasms/surgery* ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; Leydig Cell Tumor/complications* ; Child, Preschool ; Orchiectomy ; Testosterone/blood* ; Tertiary Care Centers

Van Wyk-Grumbach syndrome (VWGS) is a rare complication of prolonged untreated juvenile hypothyroidism characterized by precocious puberty and enlarged multicystic ovaries. A 13-year-old girl visited our outpatient clinic due to menstrual irregularities. She had precocious puberty, pituitary hyperplasia and multiple cystic ovaries in addition to clinical signs of severe congenital hypothyroidism. After the initiation of L-thyroxine therapy, the symptoms were alleviated in a short time. This rare syndrome is easy to be misdiagnosed as pituitary and ovarian tumor. High degree of suspicion and timely diagnosis can prevent unnecessary surgical procedures because the symptoms can be reversed with thyroid hormone supplementation.
Adolescent ; Congenital Hypothyroidism ; complications ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperpituitarism ; Hyperplasia ; Menstruation Disturbances ; etiology ; Ovarian Cysts ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Ovary ; pathology ; Pituitary Gland ; pathology ; Puberty, Precocious ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Syndrome ; Thyroxine ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVEThe term "premature thelarche" refers to isolated breast development before 8 years of age in female, without any other signs of sexual maturation, while "gynecomastia" is the presence of breast tissue in males. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of premature thelarche and gynecomastia in Chinese infants and toddlers, identify the potential risk factors, and explore the influence of early breast development on physical growth, mental development and psychomotor development.

METHODA total of 1 510 full term and healthy children at the age of 0-48 months were sampled by stratified cluster random sampling method from 8 provinces from 2011-2012. Weight, height and breast development were assessed by senior primary pediatricians, while Bayley Scale of Infant Development-I (BSID-I) was used to measure the mental developmental index (MDI) and psychomotor developmental index (PDI) for children aged 2-30 months. Social-demographic Questionnaires were completed by the caregivers.

RESULTThe combined prevalence of premature thelarche and gynecomastia was 1.6% (23/1 475), girls 2.2% (15/695), boys 1.0% (8/780), all within 2 years of age. The birth weight, feeding patterns in first 4 months, delivery mode, weaning time and social economic status were not significantly associated with the breast development. However, lower father's education level (OR = 3.632, 95%CI = 1.565-8.432) as well as smoking mother (OR = 18.960, 95%CI = 1.590-226.304) were significantly related to breast development even after adjusting for potential confounders. Lower weight (-0.479 ± 0.648 vs. 0.005 ± 0.987, P < 0.05) and height (-0.602 ± 1.042 vs. 0.008 ± 0.986, P < 0.05) Z score were found in breast development group, even after adjusting for age, gender and father' education level. Neither mental development (t = -0.082, P > 0.05) nor psychomotor development (t = 1.054, P > 0.05) was associated with breast development.

CONCLUSIONWe showed a similar prevalence of premature thelarche with the data reported in similar studies reported from other countries. Among the 0-48 months old infants and toddlers, Father's education level and smoking mother were both related to breast development. Breast development was significantly associated with physical growth, but had no correlation with the mental or psychomotor development.

African Continental Ancestry Group ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Breast ; growth & development ; Child Development ; Child, Preschool ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Gynecomastia ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prevalence ; Puberty, Precocious ; epidemiology ; etiology

Hamartoma ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; etiology ; Hypothalamic Diseases ; complications ; surgery ; Infant ; Male ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Puberty, Precocious ; etiology ; Subdural Effusion ; etiology

Biomarkers ; blood ; Child ; Chorionic Gonadotropin ; blood ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Growth Disorders ; etiology ; Humans ; Klinefelter Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; genetics ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Mediastinal Neoplasms ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Puberty, Precocious ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Teratoma ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Testis ; pathology

Child, Preschool ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hysteroscopy ; Pediatrics ; Puberty, Precocious ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Uterine Hemorrhage ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Vaginal Diseases ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

Steroid cell tumor, not otherwise specified (NOS), are rare ovarian tumor, in addition, it is more rare in children. The majority of these tumors produce several steroid hormones, particularly testosterone. Estrogen also secreted by steroid cell tumor, NOS, but it is uncommon. Furthermore, hypertension is an infrequent sign in steroid cell tumor, NOS. An 8.5-yr-old girl with hypertension and frequent vaginal spotting visited at our clinic. On laboratory evaluation, secondary hypertension due to an elevated plasma renin level and isosexual pseudoprecocious puberty was diagnosed. Right solid ovarian mass was detected in radiologic tests. She underwent a right ooporectomy and it revealed renin and progesterone receptor positive steroid cell tumor, NOS. After operation, her blood pressure returned to normal level and vaginal bleeding disappeared. Even though this case is very rare, when hypertension coincides with virilization or feminization, a renin-secreting ovarian steroid cell tumor, NOS, should be considered.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/*etiology ; Ovarian Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Puberty, Precocious/enzymology/*etiology ; Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism ; Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism ; Renin/blood ; Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Steroids/biosynthesis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases/metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the causes and prognosis of peripheral precocious puberty.

METHODSThe levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2) were detected by a simplified gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test. The etiologies of 125 children with peripheral precocious puberty were explored by ultrasound scans and bone age assessment. A total of 102 cases were followed up for 3 months to 7.5 years.

RESULTSThe etiological distribution of these children was as follows: exogenous hormones intake (n=80), ovarian cyst (n=11), McCune-Albright syndrome (n=11), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) (n=5), ovarian teratoma (n=1), masculine adrenal tumor (n=1), feminine adrenal tumor (n=1), and handle pituitary tumor (n=1). The causes in 14 cases were unknown. Follow-up showed that the sexual characteristics of 72 cases due to exogenous hormones intake subsided after 1-6 months. Of 11 cases with ovarian cysts, the sexual characteristics subsided spontaneously in 8 cases after 1 to 4 months, but one case was transformed to central precocious puberty after 2 years and three months. One child with ovarian cysts underwent an operation and than the sexual characteristics subsided. The sexual characteristics of the patient who had an ovarian teratoma subsided after operation. The clinical symptoms of children with McCune-Albright syndrome or CAH were alliaviated partly after treatment, and 7 cases were transformed to central precocious puberty. The clinical symptoms of 2 cases of adrenal tumors subsided after operation. One child with handle pituitary tumor died one year after operation.

CONCLUSIONSVaried causes may contribute to peripheral precocious puberty and therefore must be carefully identified through history taking, physical examination, and auxiliary examinations. The prognosis may differ for patients with different etiologies of peripheral precocious puberty.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Prognosis ; Puberty, Precocious ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

Child ; Epilepsies, Partial ; etiology ; Hamartoma ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Hypothalamic Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Male ; Puberty, Precocious ; etiology