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Serum nesfatin-1 and leptin levels in non-obese girls with premature thelarche

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Abstract

Aim

We aimed to investigate serum nesfatin-1 level in girls with premature thelarche (PT) and its relationship with anthropometric parameters and leptin, which are involved in the initiation of pubertal process.

Subjects-methods

Non-obese girls who presented with the complaint of early (2–8 years) and isolated breast development were included in the study. The control group consisted of age-matched healthy prepubertal girls. Auxological measurements were performed in all subjects. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test and bone age assessment were conducted in subjects with early breast development. Girls with a bone age/chronologic age ratio <1.2 and a peak luteinizing hormone (LH) response to GnRH stimulation <5 mIU/L were included in the PT group.

Results

The study included 22 non-obese girls with PT and 24 healthy prepubertal controls. Body mass index (BMI), BMI-standard deviation score (SDS) and height SDS were similar between the groups (p > 0.05). Serum leptin and nesfatin-1 levels were found significantly higher in the PT group compared to controls (p < 0.05). No correlation was detected between nesfatin-1 and basal LH, basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), stimulated peak LH, peak FSH, leptin levels and anthropometric parameters in the PT group (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Results of the present study showed that serum nesfatin-1 and leptin levels are significantly higher in girls with PT than in prepubertal controls. This finding suggests that similar to leptin, nesfatin-1 may also have a central or peripheral role in the initiation of pubertal process and may be related to PT pathogenesis.

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Acknowledgments

This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

Conflict of interest

We declare that we do not have any conflicts of interest and no financial relationships that might have influenced the present work.

Ethical standard

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey

    G. Çatlı

  2. Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Balcova, Izmir, 35340, Turkey

    A. Anık, E. Böber & A. Abacı

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey

    T. Küme & Ö. G. Çalan

  4. Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Katip Çelebi University, Izmir, Turkey

    B. N. Dündar

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  1. G. Çatlı
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  2. A. Anık
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  3. T. Küme
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  4. Ö. G. Çalan
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  5. B. N. Dündar
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  6. E. Böber
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  7. A. Abacı
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Correspondence to A. Abacı.

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Çatlı, G., Anık, A., Küme, T. et al. Serum nesfatin-1 and leptin levels in non-obese girls with premature thelarche. J Endocrinol Invest 38, 909–913 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-015-0277-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-015-0277-8

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