End results in central precocious puberty with GnRH analog treatment: The data of the Italian Study Group for Physiopathology of Puberty

We report some end results with GnRH agonist (GnRHa) treatment in central p recocious puberty (CPP), in terms of final height (FH), ovarian function, p eak bone mass, body composition and psychological problems. The two studies reported (Study I and II) are part of the activity of the Italian Study Gr oup for Physiopathology of Puberty. Study I. Growth data were analyzed of three groups of patients: treated wit h i.n. spray buserelin, i.m. triptorelin and untreated. Both GnRHa administ ration modes were effective in arresting pubertal development and all girls had complete recovery of the reproductive axis after therapy. Treated pati ents showed an improvement in final height in comparison with untreated pat ients and compared to predicted height at the start of treatment with both agonist treatments. However, patients treated with the long-acting slow rel ease preparation had a better improvement in adult height and reached or ex ceeded the genetic height potential. Study II. In a retrospective evaluation of the outcome in 71 girls with idi opathic CPP treated with triptorelin, we found that FH fell within the popu lation norm and the target range in 87.3% and 90% of the patients respectiv ely. The tallest FH was recorded in the patients who started therapy at les s than 6 years of age and in those who discontinued treatment at a bone age of 12.0-12.5 yr, Finally, we and other groups have recently found normal values of bone mine ral density in girls at the end of GnRHa treatment in the great majority of patients.