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Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Prepubertal urinary estrogen excretion and its relationship with pubertal timing
Lijie Shi1, Thomas Remer, Anette E Buyken
1Research Institute of Child Nutrition, Dept. of Nutrition and Health, Heinstueck 11, 44225, Dortmund, Germany. shi@fke-do.de
American Journal of Physiology. Endocrinology and Metabolism
|September 23, 2010
Summary
Prepubertal estrogen levels correlate with pubertal growth duration in both sexes. Higher estrogen metabolites in girls predict earlier breast development and menarche, but do not impact male sexual maturation.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Pediatrics
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- The role of prepubertal estrogen production in pubertal timing remains unclear.
- Investigating the association between early estrogen excretion and pubertal development is crucial for understanding endocrine regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine prepubertal 24-hour urinary estrogen excretion levels.
- To determine the association between these levels and early/late pubertal markers in healthy children.
Main Methods:
- Quantified daily urinary estrogen excretion (E-sum3, E-sum5) in 132 children 1-2 years before pubertal growth spurt.
- Utilized stable isotope dilution/GC-MS for precise estrogen metabolite measurement.
- Assessed pubertal outcomes including age at takeoff, peak height velocity, and Tanner stages.
Main Results:
- Prepubertal estrogen excretion was not linked to the onset of the pubertal growth spurt (ATO) or peak height velocity (APHV).
- Higher estrogen levels (E-sum3) correlated with a longer pubertal growth acceleration duration in both sexes.
- In girls, elevated E-sum3 predicted earlier breast development (B2) and menarche, but no such association was found for genital development (G2) in boys.
Conclusions:
- Prepubertal estrogens influence pubertal growth duration but not its initiation.
- Estrogen levels in childhood may predict pubertal timing in girls, specifically for menarche and breast development.
- Prepubertal estrogen excretion does not appear to significantly affect male sexual maturation timing.
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