Skeletal maturation and hormonal levels after the menarche

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Skeletal Biology

Background:

• Adolescent skeletal development is influenced by hormonal changes, particularly after menarche.
• Understanding skeletal maturity post-menarche is crucial for assessing growth potential and predicting adult height.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between time elapsed since menarche and skeletal maturity in adolescent girls.
• To examine hormonal profiles in relation to epiphyseal closure in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Assessed skeletal maturity (epiphyseal status) in 82 healthy adolescent girls (aged 12-19) based on time since menarche.
• Measured serum hormone levels including estradiol, estrone, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate.
• Correlated epiphyseal status with time since menarche and hormonal levels.

Main Results:

• Epiphyseal closure was observed in 68.2% of subjects.
• A strong negative correlation (r = -0.98) was found between time since menarche and the incidence of open epiphyses.
• Girls with open epiphyses showed continued height growth (approx. 3.5 cm over 3 years) and higher DHEA-sulfate levels.

Conclusions:

• Skeletal maturity, indicated by epiphyseal closure, progresses significantly with time after menarche in adolescent girls.
• Hormonal profiles, particularly DHEA-sulfate, may be associated with the rate of skeletal maturation.
• These findings aid in understanding adolescent growth trajectories and predicting final height.