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Quantitative calcaneal ultrasound parameters and bone mineral density at final height in girls treated with depot gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist for central precocious puberty or idiopathic short stature

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Abstract

To evaluate the effect of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist treatment on bone quality at final height, we studied girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) and with idiopathic short stature (ISS). A total of 25 Caucasian girls were included: group A ( n =14) with idiopathic CPP (mean age at start 7.4 years) and group B ( n =11) with ISS (mean age at start 11.7 years). Treatment duration was 3.8 and 1.7 years respectively. The quantitative ultrasound parameters (QUS) broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and speed of sound (SOS) were measured at the calcaneus (UBIS 3000 device). Lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD; L2–L4) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (Hologic QDR1000). Measurements were performed at final height and expressed as Z-scores corrected for bone age. Mean Z-scores of QUS parameters, areal BMD and volumetric BMD (BMDvol) were above −1 in both groups (group A: BUA Z-score −0.21, SOS Z-score −0.29, BMD Z-score 0.02, BMDvol Z-score 0.05, group B: BUA Z-score −0.93, SOS Z-score −0.40, BMD Z-score −0.86, BMDvol Z-score −0.68), although mean Z-scores of BUA and areal BMD in group B were significantly different from zero ( P =0.03 and P =0.02 respectively). Mean Z-score BMDvol was not significantly different from zero ( P =0.05), we found no significant difference between the groups for BMDvol ( P =0.13). Conclusion:although quantitative ultrasound parameters parameters and bone mineral density were normal in girls with central precocious puberty at final height after gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist treatment, mean Z-score for broadband ultrasound attenuation and areal bone mineral density were significantly different from zero and mean Z-score for volumetric bone mineral density was (just) not significantly different from zero in idiopathic short stature girls with normal puberty treated with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists. Therefore we cannot say that this treatment is safe in these girls with regard to bone health.

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Abbreviations

BMD :

bone mineral density

BMDvol :

volumetric bone mineral density

BMI :

body mass index

BUA :

broadband ultrasound attenuation

CPP :

central precocious puberty

DXA :

dual X-ray absorptiometry

GnRH :

gonadotrophin-releasing hormone

ISS :

idiopathic short stature

QUS :

quantitative ultrasound

SDS :

standard deviation score

SOS :

speed of sound

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Author notes

  1. Joop van den Bergh

    Present address: UMC Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, A University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB , Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Simone Kapteijns-van Kordelaar, Kees Noordam & Barto Otten

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Sint Maartensgasthuis, Venlo, The Netherlands

    Joop van den Bergh

Authors
  1. Simone Kapteijns-van Kordelaar
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  2. Kees Noordam
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  3. Barto Otten
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  4. Joop van den Bergh
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Correspondence to Kees Noordam.

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Kapteijns-van Kordelaar, S., Noordam, K., Otten, B. et al. Quantitative calcaneal ultrasound parameters and bone mineral density at final height in girls treated with depot gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist for central precocious puberty or idiopathic short stature. Eur J Pediatr 162, 776–780 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-003-1300-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-003-1300-1

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