Serum Irisin Levels in Central Precocious Puberty and Its Variants

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Metabolic Research

Background:

• The precise mechanisms initiating puberty remain unclear.
• Adipomyokines, such as irisin, are hypothesized to influence the central neural network regulating puberty.
• Investigating irisin's role may elucidate early puberty onset pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare irisin levels in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP), precocious puberty (PP) variants, and healthy controls.
• To determine if irisin can serve as a diagnostic marker for CPP.
• To explore correlations between irisin levels and clinical/laboratory parameters in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 94 girls was studied, including 33 with CPP, 31 with PP variants (SPPP or PT), and 30 healthy controls.
• Irisin levels were measured and compared across these groups.
• Bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of irisin levels.

Main Results:

• Mean irisin levels were significantly higher in girls with CPP (723.25 ± 62.35 ng/mL) compared to PP variants (529.60 ± 39.66 ng/mL) and controls (325.03 ± 27.53 ng/mL).
• Irisin levels positively correlated with BMI-SDS, height-SDS, weight-SDS, bone age, uterus size, baseline and peak LH, and FSH.
• Multivariate analysis identified peak LH and BMI-SDS as independent predictors of irisin levels.

Conclusions:

• Elevated irisin levels are associated with central precocious puberty in girls.
• Irisin may represent a potential biomarker for identifying CPP.
• Further validation in larger prospective studies is warranted to confirm irisin's utility as a CPP marker.