Characteristics of children with premature pubarche in the new york metropolitan area

Abstract

Background: Premature pubarche (PP) is defined as the appearance of pubic hair before 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys, without other signs of puberty. In the USA the prevalence of childhood overweight tripled between 1980 and 2000. An association between overweight and PP has been identified.

Methods: We conducted a chart review to identify patients with the diagnosis of PP who were evaluated from July 2000 to October 2005. 38 patients, 29 females and 9 males, were studied. 16 were Caucasian, 11 African-American, 10 Hispanic, and 1 Arab. Age range was 4.3-9.8 years. Auxological features were analyzed.

Results: Of the 38, 20 (52.6%) had a BMI >85th percentile. Increased weight was more common among females (62%) and Hispanics (80%). The study group was taller than expected Z = 1.11 +/- 0.95 (TH Z = 0.34 +/- 0.86). Among the 18 children who had bone age advancement >1.5 years, 10 (56%) had a predicted height <1 SD below the TH (p = 0.005).

Conclusions: In this study we confirmed the correlation between weight gain and PP. We also found that when the bone age was advanced >1.5 years, the predicted adult height was affected.