Growth Status and Body Composition in Children with Central Precocious Puberty and Early Puberty

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the growth status and body composition in children with central precocious puberty (CPP ) and early puberty (EP). METHODS: One hundred and five girls (mean age, 7.7 +/- 0.8 years) with early thelarche were included, and a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test was performed. We divided the subjects into two groups based on peak leuteinizing hormone (LH) levels; peak LH level > or = 5 mIU/L was diagnosed as CPP (n = 49), and peak LH level < 5 mIU/L was diagnosed as EP (n = 56). Patients' height, weight, and body composition were measured, and their body mass index (BMI) and Z-score were calculated. Fat mass (FF), fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI), and percent of body fat (PBF) were compared. RESULTS: Height, weight, and height Z-score were not significantly different between the CPP and EP groups. Weight Z-score (P = 0.045), BMI (P = 0.015), BMI Z-score (P = 0.006), PBF (P = 0.018), FM (P = 0.047), and FMI (P = 0.017) in the EP group were significantly greater than in the CPP group. CONCLUSION: In EP girls, increased BMI was attributed to increased FMI. Body-composition analysis might be a useful tool in monitoring life style modification during pubertal growth.