Department of Paediatrics, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia.
Catholic University of Croatia's School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.
Pediatr Endocrinol Diabetes Metab. 2024;30(3):163-167. doi: 10.5114/pedm.2024.142585.
Clitoromegaly can be congenital or acquired, and it is usually associated with exposure to androgen excess. Pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for transient clitoromegaly in premature female infants have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we present the case of an extremely premature female twin infant, with an extensive web of skin on the back of the left leg, hypoplastic left labia majora, and normal clitoris appearance at birth. At the age of 48 days, clitoral enlargement was observed. Significantly elevated levels of gonadotropins, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) were recorded. 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) was unremarkable, and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) was low, in accordance with normal female karyotype. Ovaries were not visualised ultrasonographically. During the following weeks, gradual normalisation of gonadotropin, testosterone, and DHEAS levels was accompanied by regression of clitoromegaly. As described in this case, transient clitoral enlargement may appear in extremely premature female infants due to transitory elevated androgens of ovarian and adrenal origin.
阴蒂肥大可分为先天性和获得性,通常与雄激素过多有关。导致早产儿女性阴蒂一过性肥大的病理生理机制尚未完全阐明。在此,我们报告一例极早产儿女性双胎,左小腿背面有广泛的皮肤网,左大阴唇发育不全,出生时阴蒂外观正常。48 天时,观察到阴蒂增大。检测到促性腺激素、睾酮和硫酸脱氢表雄酮(DHEAS)水平显著升高。17-羟孕酮(17OHP)无明显异常,抗苗勒管激素(AMH)水平较低,符合正常女性核型。超声检查未发现卵巢。在随后的几周里,促性腺激素、睾酮和 DHEAS 水平逐渐正常化,同时阴蒂肥大也逐渐消退。正如本病例所述,极早产儿女性可能由于卵巢和肾上腺来源的一过性雄激素升高而出现一过性阴蒂增大。