Natural history and incidence of premature thelarche in Puerto Rican girls aged 6 months to 8 years diagnosed between 1990 and 1995

OBJECTIVE: To describe the natural history and estimate the incidence of premature thelarche in girls aged 6 months to 8 years living in Puerto Rico and diagnosed between 1990 and 1995. BACKGROUND: In the 1970s and 1980s, several pediatric endocrinologists, based on their clinical experience, acknowledged a dramatic increase in the number of cases of precocious sexual development in Puerto Rico. In 1987, the Puerto Rico Health Department developed the Registry of Premature Thelarche and Precocious Sexual Development, which began to operate in 1989. Data regarding the long-term outcomes of girls diagnosed with premature thelarche are insufficient. Knowledge about the natural history of this condition is relevant for predicting the long-term prognosis and therapeutic management of the affected population. METHODS: Of 2,716 cases of precocious sexual development reported to the Premature Thelarche and Precocious Sexual Development Registry, 1,916 (70.5) were premature thelarche. The clinical characteristics and evolution during follow-up of premature thelarche cases were described and compared by age group at diagnosis. RESULTS: Incidences were 6.2 and 1.62 per 1,000 live births for girls aged < 2 years and 2 to 8 years, respectively. These estimates were 10 and 15 times higher than those reported in Olmsted, MN. When the average change in mammary tissue diameter during follow-up was evaluated, a slight reduction in girls aged < 2 years was observed; however, it remained constant for girls aged 2 to 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study underscore the need to continue an active search of premature thelarche cases and to perform analytical investigations of precocious sexual development to expand the understanding of the etiology of this important public health problem.

Prevalence of alcohol and drug use in a Medical Sciences Campus Freshman Class

Una encuesta del uso de alcohol y drogas en la clase de primer año de 1989-90 del Recinto de Ciencias Médicas de la U.P.R. fue llevada a cabo mediante un cuestionario de 55 artículos. El instrumento fue completado por 73%de los matriculados en primer año (403 respuestas). Los datos reflejaron que 64%de los sujetos encuestados usan alcohol; 47.4%fueron clasificados como bebedores ocasionales, 9.9%como bebedores moderados y 6.7%como bebedores fuertes. El consumo de alcohol por sexo fue de 87.1%en varones y 58.3%en mujeres. Uso de drogas fue informado por 14.6%de todos los sujetos. No se encontró diferencias por sexo en la distribución de usuarios de drogas. Los resultados fueron clasificados y analizados por facultad. Se exploró la motivación para el consumo de alcohol y drogas encontrando que aproximadamente 50%de las respuestas no caían bajo categorias tradicionales tales como "para reducir tensión" y "aprobación social". Se enfatiza la deseabilidad de fortalecer aún más los esfuerzos preventivos y educativos de la institución relacionado al riesgo de mal uso de alcohol y dorgas