Comparison of Methods used for Final Height Prediction in Patients with Central Precocious Puberty

Various methods may be used to estimate target height in patients diagnosed with precocious puberty. These methods include the Bayley-Pinneau (BP) and Roche-Wainer-Thissen (RWT) methods. In addition to these methods, in our clinic, we routinely use a practical approach based on the percentiles in growth charts. In this method, the bone age percentile is projected to the end of the percentile curve (at 18 years of age) to estimate the final adult height. We have named this method Bone Age Percentile Curve Projected Height Estimation (BAPCPHE). The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare the effectiveness of these three methods in predicting target height in patients treated for central precocious puberty and who have reached their final height in our pediatric endocrinology clinic.

Fifty female patients were included. The predicted adult heights (PAH) were calculated at treatment initiation, at the end of the first, second, and third years of treatment, and at the time of final height attainment using the BP, RWT, and BAPCPHE methods, based on the patients’ heights and bone ages.

When the agreement between the PAH calculated by three methods and the final height was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient, significant agreement was found for PAH using the BAPCPHE method in the third year. Among the methods, the strongest agreement with final height and PAH was observed with the BP method at the end of treatment, followed by the BAPCPHE method.

The BAPCPHE method allows estimation of PAH quickly, making it a valuable tool in the outpatient setting. Given its simplicity and accuracy, we find the BAPCPHE method preferable.