[Pubertas praecox in McCune-Albright syndrome--case report and review of the literature]

Abstract

A patient is presented with the syndrome of polyostatic fibrous dysplasia and precocious puberty (PP). The endocrinopathy in McCune-Albright-syndrome (MAS) has formerly been ascribed to a central (hypothalamic) origin. In this patient the PP was caused by a luteinized follicular cyst, suggesting autonomous hyperfunction of this gland. High serum estradiol levels returned to normal after cystectomie. The review of the literature suggests the peripheral origin of PP to be more frequent in younger age groups (under 6 years). It appears possible that peripheral hypersecretion of sexual steroids may cause a rise of gonadotropins secondarily followed by true PP in older children provided such longstanding hypersecretion leads to a generalized maturation of the body including skeletal maturation. Treatment in pseudoprecocious puberty seems to be not effective with LH-RH-analogues. Cyproteroneacetate alone or in combination with a LH-RH analogue gave the impression of being more successful. Cystectomy can lead to a cure but a recurrence of ovarian cysts is possible. A combination of surgical and drug therapy may be beneficial under these circumstances. Until now there is no sufficient treatment for polyostotic fibrous dysplasia.