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Studies of gonadotrophin pulsatility and pelvic ultrasound examinations distinguish between isolated premature thelarche and central precocious puberty

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Abstract

We have studied the pulsatile secretion of gonadotrophins at night and made ovarian ultrasound examinations in three girls with central precocious puberty and three with isolated premature thelarche. The three girls with precocious puberty had well-defined pulsatile secretion of LH and FSH with LH predominating, as would be expected in normal puberty. Pulsatile secretion of gonadotrophins was also seen in girls with premature thelarche but the pattern was reversed. In girls with precocious puberty, large “multicystic” ovaries and large uteri were seen on ultrasound examination, whereas girls with isolated premature thelarche had small uteri and ovaries with less than four “cysts” up to 15 mm in diameter. These data provide the key to understanding the aetiology of isolated premature thelarche.

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Abbreviations

GnRH:

gonadotrophin releasing hormone

LH:

luteinising hormone

FSH:

Follicle stimulating hormone

SDS:

standard deviation score

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Endocrine Unit, The Middlesex Hospitals, Mortimer Street, W1N 8AA, London, United Kingdom

    R. Stanhope, N. A. Abdulwahid, J. Adams & C. G. D. Brook

Authors
  1. R. Stanhope
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  2. N. A. Abdulwahid
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  3. J. Adams
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  4. C. G. D. Brook
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Stanhope, R., Abdulwahid, N.A., Adams, J. et al. Studies of gonadotrophin pulsatility and pelvic ultrasound examinations distinguish between isolated premature thelarche and central precocious puberty. Eur J Pediatr 145, 190–194 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446063

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00446063

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