14 Oct Precocious Puberty in Girls: What are Long-Term Outcomes?

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Liora Lazar
The Jesse Z and Sara Lea Shafer Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes National Center for Childhood Diabetes
Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel
14 Kaplan St., Petah Tikva 49202, Israel

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. Lazar: The study aims to assess the reproductive outcome and social adjustment of former Central precocious puberty (CPP) women between the 3rd and 5th decades of life.

The main findings of this study are:

1.       Clinical hyperandrogenism was more prevalent among former CPP women, both treated and untreated, as compared to controls.

2.      Fertility problems were more prevalent only among untreated–CPP women.

3.       Educational achievements and marital status were similar in former CPP women and their controls.

MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. Lazar: Pubertal suppression treatment may have a protective effect on reproductive outcome.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. Lazar: Central precocious puberty (CPP), treated or untreated, has implications in adulthood. The increased rate of clinical hyperandrogenism among CPP women suggests that the underlying neuroendocrine dysfunction persists into adult life. Pubertal suppression treatment may have a protective effect as fertility problems were more prevalent only among untreated–CPP women.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. Lazar: Continued follow-up of former-CPP women is warranted to determine whether CPP will have long-term implications on the general health status in this population, and increased risk for premature ovarian failure and premature menopause in late reproductive years.

Citation:

Treated and untreated women with idiopathic precocious puberty: long-term follow-up and reproductive outcome between the third and fifth decades

Lazar, L., Meyerovitch, J., de Vries, L., Phillip, M. and Lebenthal, Y. (2013), Treated and untreated women with idiopathic precocious puberty: long-term follow-up and reproductive outcome between the third and fifth decades. Clinical Endocrinology. doi: 10.1111/cen.12319

Last Updated on October 14, 2013 by Marie Benz MD FAAD