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Skeletal maturation and predicted adult height in children with premature adrenarche

Shilpa Gurnurkar, Kristopher L Arheart, Sarah E Messiah

    Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism : JPEM
    |August 21, 2013
    PubMed

    Insights

    Premature adrenarche (PA) and obesity are linked to rapid bone maturation. Significant bone age advancement in children with PA often results in a shorter adult height than expected.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Endocrinology
    • Growth and Development
    • Metabolic Disorders

    Background:

    • Premature adrenarche (PA) is a condition that may be associated with obesity and advanced bone age.
    • Understanding the long-term implications of PA on growth is crucial for clinical management.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the association between premature adrenarche (PA) and predicted adult height in relation to target height.
    • To determine if children with PA exhibit a predicted adult height less than their target height.

    Main Methods:

    • Retrospective chart review of 100 children diagnosed with premature adrenarche (PA).
    • Data collected from a single pediatric endocrinology clinic, with a sample predominantly from South and Central America and the Caribbean.
    • Analysis focused on bone age, obesity status, and predicted adult height compared to target height.

    Main Results:

    • A significant majority (89.2%) of children with PA presented with advanced bone age.
    • Over 43% of the sample were obese, and 41.8% had a predicted adult height below their target height.
    • A strong correlation was observed between body mass index Z-score and bone age advancement in boys (r=0.67, p<0.001).

    Conclusions:

    • Premature adrenarche (PA) and obesity are associated with accelerated skeletal maturation.
    • Advanced bone age in children with PA is a significant predictor of sub-optimal adult height, falling below target height.
    Abstract

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