Journal Article

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

Aversa, Tommaso, Capalbo, Donatella, Tornese, Gianluca, Tamaro, Gianluca, Faienza, Maria Felicia, Mameli, Chiara, Russo, Gianni, Cavasin, Julia, Stancampiano, Marianna, Bruzzi, Patrizia, Munarin, Jessica, Cherubini, Valentino, Marescotti, Gloria, Parpagnoli, Maria, Ibba, Anastasia, Assirelli, Valentina, Cavarzere, Paolo, Grandone, Anna, Di Mase, Raffaella, Franchina, Francesca, Salerno, Mariacarolina, Calcaterra, Valeria, Cassio, Alessandra, Tuli, Gerdi, Wasniewska, Malgorzata, Fava, Daniela

2024

Overview

Abstract Context 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. Objective 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. Methods 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. Results 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. Conclusion 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.

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Subject: Body mass index / Central nervous system / Child / Child, Preschool / Cohort Studies / Diagnosis / Gonadotropin-releasing hormone / Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - analogs & derivatives / Gonadotropins / Humans / Italy - epidemiology / Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Male / Medical research / Medicine, Experimental / Pituitary (anterior) / Pituitary hormones / Precocious puberty / Puberty / Puberty, Precocious - diagnosis / Puberty, Precocious - epidemiology / Retrospective Studies