Basal Serum Neurokinin B Levels in Differentiating Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty from Premature Thelarche.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To find out the diagnostic role of kisspeptin and neurokinin B in idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) and premature thelarche (PT).

METHODS:

The girls who presented with early breast development before the age of 8 years were evaluated. Patients with intracranial pathologies were excluded. Basal and stimulated follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone (LH) levels and basal neurokinin B/kisspeptin levels were measured. Patients who had peak value of LH >5 mIU/mL and a bone age (BA)/chronological age (CA) ratio >1.1 were diagnosed as central precocious puberty (CPP), while cases who did not meet these criteria were diagnosed as PT. Healthy age-matched prepubertal girls were included as the control group.

RESULTS:

The study group contained 25 girls with ICPP (7±0.8 years), 35 girls with PT (6.8±0.7 years), and 30 controls (6.7±0.7 years). Basal serum kisspeptin and neurokinin B levels were 2.36±0.47 ng/mL and 2.61±0.32 ng/mL, respectively in the ICPP group, 2.23±0.43 ng/mL and 2.24±0.23 ng/mL, respectively in the PT group, and 1.92±0.33 ng/mL and 2.03±0.24 ng/mL, respectively in the controls. Both kisspeptin and neurokinin B levels were higher in the ICPP and PT groups compared to controls (p<0.05). Moreover, basal neurokinin B level was different between ICPP and PT groups (p<0.01). A serum neurokinin B level of 2.42 ng/mL provided the most appropriate level to differentiate ICPP from PT, with a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 77.1%.

CONCLUSION:

Differentiation of CPP from PT is sometime difficult, and there is a need for a simple method for the differential diagnosis. Our results suggest that basal serum neurokinin B level can be used as an adjunctive parameter to differentiate ICCP from PT.

• Authors: Mesut Parlak, Doğa Türkkahraman, Hamit Yaşar Ellidağ, Gamze Çelmeli, Ayşe Eda Parlak, Necat Yılmaz
• Journal: Journal of clinical research in pediatric endocrinology (J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol) Vol. 9 Issue 2 Pg. 101-105 (Jun 01 2017) ISSN: 1308-5735 [Electronic] Turkey
• PMID: 28008860 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Kisspeptins
• Neurokinin B
• Luteinizing Hormone
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone

Topics

• Breast (growth & development)
• Child
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (blood)
• Humans
• Kisspeptins (blood)
• Luteinizing Hormone (blood)
• Neurokinin B (blood)
• Puberty, Precocious (blood, diagnosis)
• ROC Curve