True precocious puberty in a girl with the fragile X syndrome

A 2.8-year-old girl was investigated for early breast development and delayed psychomotor development. Chromosome analysis showed a fragile site at Xq27. Skeletal maturation was advanced. Computerized tomography of the head was normal. Pelvic ultrasonography showed ovaries and uterus enlarged for age. Basal serum gonadotropins were within the normal prepubertal range, but serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels rose during sleep and following stimulation by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), consistent with true precocious puberty. The occurrence of precocious puberty in this girl, and macro-orchidism in affected males may be a reflection of an underlying disturbance of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal function in fragile X patients.