The Effect of The Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analog Treatment on Body Mass Index and Height in the Female Patients with Central Precocious Puberty

INTRODUCTION: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) are widely used in the treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP). There is concern that the GnRHa treatment, whose positive effects on the adult height are known, may cause weight gain and body mass index (BMI) increase. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the GnRHa treatment on BMI and height in female patients with CPP.
METHODS: 92 patients diagnosed with idiopathic CPP and 22 patients diagnosed with organic CPP, who received the GnRHa treatment were included in the study. The data of the treatment start date, 6th month, 1st and 2nd year height, weight, BMI, bone age were obtained retrospectively from the file records.
RESULTS: BMI SDS increased during the treatment period in all the patients. In the second year of GnRHa treatment, BMI SDS was higher in the organic CPP, compared to the idiopathic CPP (0.66±0.84 and 1.35±0.72, p=0.007). In both groups, at the beginning of GnRHa treatment, the BMI SDS increase was higher in the patients with normal weight than those who were overweight- obese. In both groups, the prevalence of obesity was higher than the reference population at the beginning of treatment. An increase were determined in the height SDS and PAH in both groups according to bone age.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In patients with CPP, the prevalence of obesity was higher in the first application compared to the reference population. In CPP, BMI SDS increased with GnRHa treatment. The weight of the patients at the beginning of treatment affected the weight and BMI change with GnRHa treatment. The patients with the organic CPP were more prone to the weight gain and BMI increase.