The effects of cyproterone acetate on statural growth in children with precocious puberty

Forty-four patients (42 f, 2 m) with precocious puberty (31 idiopathic, 1 familial, 7 cerebral, 5 McCune-Albright) were treated with cyproterone acetate for periods of 1-8.75 years in different (P less than 0.05) daily dosages of 117 +/- 6.1 mg/m2 per day (mean +/- SEM, group A, N = 20) and 60.8 +/- 2.42 mg/m2 per day (group B, N = 24). Thirty-three girls had experienced menarche before therapy at a mean age of 4.89 +/- 0.42 years. Treatment was started at a chronologic age of 5.45 +/- 0.33 years in the girls and 5.74 +/- 1.34 years in the boys. At the time of evaluation, 31 of our patients had reached final height. With respect to the effects of treatment on statural growth, the Standard Deviation Scores were retrospectively determined for height, weight, and growth velocity. The initial Bayley-Pinneau height predictions were compared with final height and target height, and the skeletal maturation was studied. There were no significant differences between those parameters in the patients of group A and B or between treated and untreated subjects as far as final height and target height were concerned. It is concluded that cyproterone acetate administered orally at daily doses from 50-150 mg/m2 does not improve statural growth of patients with precocious puberty.