[Precocious puberty in girls. Study of 98 cases]

A study of 98 cases of true sexual precocity in girls shows a frequency three times higher between 5 and 7 years than before age 5. Detectable causes (intracranial lesion and Mac Cune-Albright syndrome) were found in 56% of cases before 5 years and only 18% after age 5. The plasma levels of estradiol and gonadotropins and the gonadotropins response to LHRH did not differ significantly from those found at the corresponding stages of normal puberty. Plasma dehydroepiandrosterone was lower. Pelvic ultrasonography sometimes discovered follicular cysts. 44 patients treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate were followed for one or several years. Results on sexual development and plasma estradiol were good in most of them, with individual variations, Improvement in the ratio of bone age as height age and in the expected adult height was obtained but without statistical significance.