Treatment and outcomes associated with central precocious puberty

Aside from the adjustment and psychosocial challenges associated with early pubertal development, precocious puberty can lead to the rapid closure of the skeletal growth plates and short stature. This deleterious effect can be further potentiated by growth hormone deficiency.[82,87]

The increased growth velocity induced by pubertal development can mask concurrent growth hormone deficiency with seemingly normal growth velocity; this occurrence may mislead care providers.[87]

The impact of central precocious puberty on linear growth can be ascertained by assessing the degree of skeletal maturation (or bone age) using an x-ray of the left hand.[88]

Delaying the progression of puberty relies on the use of various gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist preparations. This approach has been shown to improve growth prospects, especially when other pituitary abnormalities, including growth hormone deficiency, are concurrently treated.[43,89]