Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)-independent precocious puberty unresponsive to LHRH agonist therapy in two girls lacking features of the McCune-Albright syndrome.

Abstract

Two girls with precocious puberty (chronological age, 1 and 4 yr; bone age, 3 and 6 yr, respectively) were initially given the diagnosis of idiopathic, central precocious puberty and treated with the LHRH agonist deslorelin (D-Trp6-Pro9-NEt-LHRH) for 5 yr. Unlike other girls with central precocious puberty, both had persistently elevated rates of growth and bone maturation, and both menstruated during therapy. One girl had episodic ovarian enlargement and markedly elevated serum estradiol levels due to recurrent unilateral ovarian cysts. Although the bone and skin manifestations of McCune-Albright syndrome were absent, we hypothesize that the underlying defect of McCune-Albright syndrome was expressed in the ovaries, but not in the skin or bones, of these two girls. One of these girls appeared to benefit from the aromatase inhibitor testolactone, which is effective in suppressing precocious puberty in girls with the McCune-Albright syndrome.