Vol 59, No 6 (2008)
Review paper
Submitted: 2013-02-15
Published online: 2008-10-30
Central precocious puberty
Robert Krysiak, Bogdan Marek, Bogusław Okopień
Endokrynol Pol 2008;59(6):530-540.
Vol 59, No 6 (2008)
Reviews — Postgraduate Education
Submitted: 2013-02-15
Published online: 2008-10-30
Abstract
Central precocious puberty, defined as the onset of puberty before the age 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys, results from a premature
activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the hypothalamus. This condition is characterised by early pubertal changes,
acceleration of growth velocity, and rapid bone maturation that often result in reduced adult height. It may be either idiopathic or associated
with hypothalamic hamartoma, brain neoplasms, numerous non-cancerous disorders of the central nervous system and treatment of
peripheral precocious puberty. The goal of the initial assessment of children is to exclude the presence of all these organic disorders. The
diagnosis should include detailed anamnesis and clinical examination, measurement of pituitary and sex hormones, assessment of bone
age, and imaging of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, abdomen, pelvis and gonads. The treatment of choice are gonadotropin-releasing
hormone agonists. In this paper, we review the current views on the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of
central precocious puberty.
Abstract
Central precocious puberty, defined as the onset of puberty before the age 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys, results from a premature
activation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the hypothalamus. This condition is characterised by early pubertal changes,
acceleration of growth velocity, and rapid bone maturation that often result in reduced adult height. It may be either idiopathic or associated
with hypothalamic hamartoma, brain neoplasms, numerous non-cancerous disorders of the central nervous system and treatment of
peripheral precocious puberty. The goal of the initial assessment of children is to exclude the presence of all these organic disorders. The
diagnosis should include detailed anamnesis and clinical examination, measurement of pituitary and sex hormones, assessment of bone
age, and imaging of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, abdomen, pelvis and gonads. The treatment of choice are gonadotropin-releasing
hormone agonists. In this paper, we review the current views on the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of
central precocious puberty.
Keywords
central precocious puberty; etiopathogenesis; clinical manifestation; diagnosis; treatment
Title
Central precocious puberty
Journal
Endokrynologia Polska
Issue
Vol 59, No 6 (2008)
Article type
Review paper
Pages
530-540
Published online
2008-10-30
Page views
610
Article views/downloads
5496
Bibliographic record
Endokrynol Pol 2008;59(6):530-540.
Keywords
central precocious puberty
etiopathogenesis
clinical manifestation
diagnosis
treatment
Authors
Robert Krysiak
Bogdan Marek
Bogusław Okopień