The Effect of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analog Treatment in Precocious Puberty on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Prevalence in Adulthood

The study examined the long-term effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) treatment for central precocious puberty (CPP) on the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adulthood. It included 24 women treated with GnRHa and a control group of 40 women with isolated premature thelarche. The study found a significantly higher prevalence of PCOS in the treated group (50%) compared to the control group (10%), with a p-value of 0.0006. A significant correlation between free testosterone levels and ovarian size was also observed in the treated group (R=0.45, p=0.03). These results suggest that GnRHa therapy during childhood may increase the incidence of PCOS in adulthood, indicating the importance of long-term follow-up and screening for PCOS in these patients. However, the study's limitations include its small sample size and its retrospective, non-randomized design, necessitating further research to confirm these findings.