Growth and Paediatric Endocrinology Unit, Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute, Jehangir Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule University, Pune, India.
J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Jun 3;35(7):895-900. doi: 10.1515/jpem-2022-0157. Print 2022 Jul 26.
Owing to increase in referrals for precocity observed during COVID-19 lockdown, this study was conducted to estimate the proportion of patients referred for precocity and within these, those with idiopathic central precocious puberty (iCPP) before vs. during the COVID lockdown, and to assess the differences in anthropometric and clinical characteristics among iCPP patients in the two groups.
Retrospective study conducted at a tertiary level paediatric endocrinology centre (Western India) evaluating proportion of referrals for precocity and comparing demographics, anthropometry, pubertal staging and bone age at presentation among children with iCPP divided into two groups (pre-lockdown-group 1, lockdown-group 2).
During lockdown, 155 (5.1%; 146 girls) of 3,053 referrals for precocity as opposed to 59 (1.4%; 54 girls) of 4,208 before the lockdown (p<0.05) were seen; increase was higher in girls (p<0.05). Proportion of referrals for iCPP was significantly higher in the lockdown (4.4%; 136 children vs. 1%; 44 children in group 2) among both genders. Mean age at first visit was 7.8 ± 1.3 and 8.2 ± 1.2 years in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Mean height, weight, BMI and height minus mid-parental height Z scores were not significantly different between the groups. Children in group 2 had a significantly advanced mean bone age (10.7 ± 2 years) and difference in bone and chronological ages (2.5 ± 1.2 years) as compared to group-1 (9.7 ± 1.9; 1.9 ± 1.2) and a larger proportion presented in late puberty.
We found an increase in the referrals for precocious puberty and an increase in number of children diagnosed with iCPP during COVID lockdown.
由于 COVID-19 封锁期间早熟转诊的增加，本研究旨在估计转诊的早熟患者比例，以及在这些患者中，特发性中枢性早熟（iCPP）患者在封锁前和封锁期间的比例，并评估两组 iCPP 患者在人体测量和临床特征方面的差异。
在印度西部的一家三级儿科内分泌中心进行了一项回顾性研究，评估了早熟转诊的比例，并比较了 iCPP 患儿分为两组（封锁前组 1，封锁组 2）的人口统计学、人体测量、青春期分期和骨龄。
在封锁期间，3053 例早熟转诊中有 155 例（5.1%，146 例女孩），而封锁前的 4208 例转诊中有 59 例（1.4%，54 例女孩）（p<0.05）；女孩的增长更高（p<0.05）。在两组中，封锁期间 iCPP 的转诊比例均显著增加（4.4%，136 例儿童与 2 组中的 1%，44 例儿童）。第 1 组和第 2 组的首次就诊平均年龄分别为 7.8±1.3 岁和 8.2±1.2 岁。两组之间的平均身高、体重、BMI 和身高减去中父母身高 Z 评分没有显著差异。与第 1 组（9.7±1.9；1.9±1.2）相比，第 2 组的儿童骨龄明显提前（10.7±2 岁），骨龄和实际年龄的差异更大（2.5±1.2 岁），且更多的儿童处于晚期青春期。
我们发现 COVID 封锁期间早熟转诊的数量增加，并且确诊为 iCPP 的儿童数量也有所增加。
