[Effectiveness of Leuprolide acetate therapy every three months in central precocious puberty].

BACKGROUND Precocious puberty may reduce final adult height, and affected children may suffer social and emotional problems. The efficacy of treatment with a long acting agonist analogue of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (aLHRH) has been well demonstrated. AIM To evaluated the efficacy of a new formulation of aLHRH (leuprolide, Lupron) for the suppression of gonadotropin activation and clinical signs of puberty. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eleven children (ten females) with idiopathic central precocious puberty, with a mean chronological age of 7.5+/-1.8 years and a bone age of 9.7+/-1.8 years were recruited. Testicular volume in the male was 15 ml. In females, Tanner stage for breast development was between 2-4 and mean ovarian volume was 2.3+/-0.8 ml. They were treated during 18 months with aLHRH, 11.25 mg administered intramuscularly every three months. RESULTS Clinical, hormonal and ultrasonographic signs of puberty regressed in all patients. The degree of suppression of LH was 87.7+/-5.1% at the end of the 18 months. No significant changes in bone mineral content were observed during the treatment period. CONCLUSIONS Leuprolide (aLHRH) 11.25 mg, injected every three months, is effective for the control of central precocious puberty and allows to reduce the number of yearly injections from 12 to 4.