Comparison of clinical, ultrasonographic, and biochemical differences at the beginning of puberty in healthy girls born either small for gestational age or appropriate for gestational age: preliminary results.

CONTEXT

There are limited and controversial data concerning puberty characteristics in girls born small for gestational age (SGA).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to document clinical, ultrasonographic, and biochemical characteristics at the beginning of puberty in matched healthy girls born either SGA or appropriate for gestational age (AGA) recruited from the community.

PATIENTS

Inclusion criteria were breast Tanner stage II and a body mass index between the 10th and 95th percentiles.

INTERVENTIONS

Recruited subjects underwent a complete physical exam, bone age, and ultrasound measurements of the internal genitalia. Hormonal assessment included fasting early morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, SHBG, inhibin-B, FSH, LH, estradiol (E2), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OH Prog), and testosterone. Thereafter, a GnRH agonist test (leuprolide 500 microg, sc) was performed with FSH and LH at time 3 and 24 h for E2, 17OH Prog, and testosterone.

RESULTS

Sixty-five girls (35 AGA, 30 SGA) with a mean age of 9.9 +/- 1.03 (7.8-12.5) yr, similar bone age/chronological age (1.02 +/- 0.8 in AGA and 1 +/- 0.76 in SGA), median height of 1.35 +/- 0.06 cm, and similar waist to hip ratio were included. No differences in the presence of pubic hair, axillary hair, apocrine odor, or ultrasound measurements were found. SGA girls had increased baseline E2 as well as stimulated E2 and 17OH Prog.

CONCLUSIONS

In a preliminary sample of lean, healthy girls recruited from the community born either SGA or AGA, we observed slight hormonal differences at the beginning of puberty. Longitudinal follow-up of this cohort will allow us to understand whether these differences are maintained and have a clinical impact in their pubertal development.