Pre- and postpuberal findings in premature adrenarche

The complications of hyperinsulinism and insulin resistance are becoming more common in pediatrics (including type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and polycystic ovary syndrome) because of the increased occurrence of obesity in children. We report the occurrence of insulin resistance and marked hyperandrogenism in prepubertal minority group girls (African-American and Caribbean Hispanic) with premature adrenarche. Approximately one-third of our prepubertal patients with premature adrenarche evaluated have been noted to have marked hyperandrogenism with ACTH stimulated levels of 17-hydroxypregnenolone and the ratio of 17-hydroxypregnenolone/17-hydroxyprogesterone more than two standard deviations above the mean of normal early pubertal girls (Tanner II-III). Furthermore, those girls with the more marked hyperandrogenism have been noted to have insulin resistance as assessed by the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. A preliminary evaluation of adolescent girls previously evaluated for premature adrenarche has revealed that those girls with hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance when evaluated in the prepubertal period continue to have obesity, insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism and symptoms of hyperandrogenism (irregular menses, hirsutism and acne). Hence, the early identification of children at risk for insulin resistance should permit early intervention in order to avoid complications.