Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion
Background: A high prevalence (40–75%) of organic brain lesions in boys with central precocious puberty (CPP) has been reported. Objectives: To evaluate the causes of CPP in a large cohort of males and to identify the possible predictive factors for organic brain lesions in males. Design: An observa...
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Bioscientifica
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Endocrine Connections |
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| Online Access: | https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/14/2/EC-24-0405.xml |
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| author | Maria Elisa Amodeo Annalisa Deodati Stefania Pedicelli Giulia Mirra Valentina Pampanini Stefano Cianfarani |
| author_facet | Maria Elisa Amodeo Annalisa Deodati Stefania Pedicelli Giulia Mirra Valentina Pampanini Stefano Cianfarani |
| author_sort | Maria Elisa Amodeo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: A high prevalence (40–75%) of organic brain lesions in boys with central precocious puberty (CPP) has been reported. Objectives: To evaluate the causes of CPP in a large cohort of males and to identify the possible predictive factors for organic brain lesions in males. Design: An observational study was conducted in 102 otherwise healthy boys with CPP diagnosed from 1998 to 2023 in a single tertiary center. Methods: All boys underwent a thorough clinical, endocrine and neuroimaging assessment with a detailed evaluation of the pituitary region. Results: Organic CPP was found in only 8/102 children (7.8%). Children with brain tumors were younger than 8 years, had no family history positive for precocious puberty and maternal menarche occurred at an age significantly more advanced than in children with idiopathic CPP. Headache was reported at diagnosis in 7/8 children with brain tumors. A progressive increase in the occurrence of idiopathic CPP in males has been observed in the last two decades with a peak of new diagnoses during the pandemic lockdown. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the prevalence of pathological brain lesions in boys with CPP is considerably lower than previously reported, thus making the diagnosis less alarming. Age younger than 8 years, presence of neurological symptoms, family history negative for precocious puberty in the first-degree relatives and age of maternal menarche older than 11 years raise suspicion of organic CPP and should lead to prompt neuroimaging. Significance statement: Differently from what has been reported in most previous studies, our study has shown a low incidence of brain tumors in male children with precocious puberty, thus making the diagnosis less alarming for parents and physicians. Some criteria for a high index of suspicion of brain tumors in boys with precocious puberty have been identified. Finally, a progressive increase in the occurrence of idiopathic CPP in boys has been observed over the past two decades with a peak of new diagnoses during the pandemic lockdown, as previously reported in girls. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d84293c325d64cb79a3a7ee03800738c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2049-3614 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Bioscientifica |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Endocrine Connections |
| spelling | doaj-art-d84293c325d64cb79a3a7ee03800738c2025-01-07T17:16:48ZengBioscientificaEndocrine Connections2049-36142025-01-0114210.1530/EC-24-04051Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicionMaria Elisa Amodeo0Annalisa Deodati1Stefania Pedicelli2Giulia Mirra3Valentina Pampanini4Stefano Cianfarani5Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital, Rome, ItalyEndocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital, Rome, ItalyEndocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital, Rome, ItalyEndocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital, Rome, ItalyEndocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital, Rome, ItalyEndocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital, Rome, ItalyBackground: A high prevalence (40–75%) of organic brain lesions in boys with central precocious puberty (CPP) has been reported. Objectives: To evaluate the causes of CPP in a large cohort of males and to identify the possible predictive factors for organic brain lesions in males. Design: An observational study was conducted in 102 otherwise healthy boys with CPP diagnosed from 1998 to 2023 in a single tertiary center. Methods: All boys underwent a thorough clinical, endocrine and neuroimaging assessment with a detailed evaluation of the pituitary region. Results: Organic CPP was found in only 8/102 children (7.8%). Children with brain tumors were younger than 8 years, had no family history positive for precocious puberty and maternal menarche occurred at an age significantly more advanced than in children with idiopathic CPP. Headache was reported at diagnosis in 7/8 children with brain tumors. A progressive increase in the occurrence of idiopathic CPP in males has been observed in the last two decades with a peak of new diagnoses during the pandemic lockdown. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the prevalence of pathological brain lesions in boys with CPP is considerably lower than previously reported, thus making the diagnosis less alarming. Age younger than 8 years, presence of neurological symptoms, family history negative for precocious puberty in the first-degree relatives and age of maternal menarche older than 11 years raise suspicion of organic CPP and should lead to prompt neuroimaging. Significance statement: Differently from what has been reported in most previous studies, our study has shown a low incidence of brain tumors in male children with precocious puberty, thus making the diagnosis less alarming for parents and physicians. Some criteria for a high index of suspicion of brain tumors in boys with precocious puberty have been identified. Finally, a progressive increase in the occurrence of idiopathic CPP in boys has been observed over the past two decades with a peak of new diagnoses during the pandemic lockdown, as previously reported in girls.https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/14/2/EC-24-0405.xmlprecocious pubertybrain tumorshealthy boysobservational study |
| spellingShingle | Maria Elisa Amodeo Annalisa Deodati Stefania Pedicelli Giulia Mirra Valentina Pampanini Stefano Cianfarani Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion Endocrine Connections precocious puberty brain tumors healthy boys observational study |
| title | Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion |
| title_full | Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion |
| title_short | Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion |
| title_sort | prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males criteria for a high index of suspicion |
| topic | precocious puberty brain tumors healthy boys observational study |
| url | https://ec.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/ec/14/2/EC-24-0405.xml |
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