Etiological, clinical and biochemical characteristics of 367 children with early pubertal development from the Trakya region of Turkey

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe etiologies, clinical findings, and compare anthropometric properties and biochemical characteristics of children with Precocious Puberty (PP).Materials and Methods: In this single-center study, 367 patients of whom medical records were reviewed diagnosed as premature thelarche (PT), premature adrenarche (PA), Central PP (CPP), and peripheral PP (PPP). The diagnosis was based on clinical, laboratory, and radiologic investigations and their follow-up.Results: During six years, 349 girls (%95,1) and 18 boys (%4,9) diagnosed as PP. The most common etiologies were CPP;127 (%34,6), PT;117 (%31,9), PA;112(%30,5) and PPP 11(%3), respectively. CPP group had significantly higher levels of height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and obesity/overweight incidence, estradiol (E2), basal luteinizing hormone (LH), peak LH, and peak LH/ follicle -stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio and higher uterine dimensions compared to the PT group while the PT group had significantly higher levels of peak FSH compared to the CPP group. It is impossible for the laboratory results to exactly match in each case with CPP, and the cases should be evaluated along with other clinical findings.Conclusion: Our study detected an increase in the frequency of girls referred to with PP signs. However, most children with PP were revealed as an incomplete type with a very low incidence of endocrine pathology. The complexity of pathogenesis in PP should lead us to be cautious about the consequences of PP in patients andevaluate their complaints, physical findings, and laboratory work-up seriously, such as a piece of a puzzle.