Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogue Treatment in Females with Moderately Early Puberty: No Effect on Final Height

Objective: To investigate the effects of treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) on final height in girls who experienced moderately early puberty with symptoms beginning at 7-8.5 years of age. Methods: Female cases diagnosed with moderately early puberty which had started between ages 7 to 8.5 years were included in the study. In the treatment groups, all cases with a bone age <= 10.5 years constituted group 1 (n=18) and those with a bone age > 10.5 years constituted group 2 (n=23). The 8 patients for which treatment approval could not be obtained constituted group 3. The 49 cases in all three groups were observed until they reached their final height. Results: Target height, target height standard deviation score (SDS), final height, and final height SDS values were similar in all 3 groups. Final height showed a significant positive correlation with target height (p=0.000, r=0.54) and height at diagnosis (p=0.003, r=0.467) in all groups. Linear regression analysis revealed that a 1 cm longer height at diagnosis increased the final height 0.213 fold, and a 1 cm longer target height at diagnosis increased the final height 0.459 fold. Conclusion: We found that GnRHa did not make a positive contribution to final height in cases of moderately early puberty.