Factors influencing final/near-final height in 12 boys with central precocious puberty treated with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) have been demonstrated as the therapy of choice for central precocious puberty (CPP). Few studies hav e provided male patients' adult height data. In our multicenter study we ev aluated long-term effects of different GnRHa preparations and final/near-fi nal height (FH) in 12 boys with CPP and analyzed the factors influencing FH . Patients' mean chronological age at the time of diagnosis was 7.6 +/- 0.9 yr. Three patients were treated only with triptorelin at a mean dose of 90 mu g/kg i.m. every 28 days. Nine patients initially received buserelin (at a mean initial dose of 53.4 mu g/kg/day i.n. divided into 3-6 equal doses) or buserelin (at a mean dose of 36.7 mu g/kg/day s.c.) and were subsequent ly switched to triptorelin. The GnRHa therapy was continued for 4.1 +/- 0.6 yr (range 2.9-5.4). The mean predicted adult height increased from 169.9 /- 4.2 cm at diagnosis to 180.7 +/- 6.0 cm at the end of treatment. Mean FH was 176.1 +/- 6.1 cm (170.1-190.7), corresponding to mean SDSCA 0.4 +/- 0. 8 (-0.6/2.5), mean SDSBA 0.2 +/- 0.9 (-0.6/2.4) and mean corrected SDS for target height of 0.4 +/- 0.6 (-0.8/1.2), Multiple regression analysis revea led that FH was mainly influenced by target height and height at discontinu ation of GnRHa therapy. The present data indicate that GnRHa therapy signif icantly improves growth prognosis in boys with CPP and fully restores genet ic height potential.