CLINICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH PUBARCHE AND PREMATURE ADRENARCHE FOLLOWED UP IN A TERTIARY REFERRAL HOSPITAL

• Grant number: 25/02126-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Sonir Roberto Rauber Antonini
• Grantee: Mayara Souza Ribas Castor
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Adrenarche is characterized by an increase in androgens produced by the adrenal glands during childhood and preadolescence, resulting from the maturation of the zona reticularis and the expression of steroidogenic enzymes. Premature adrenarche (PA) occurs when clinical signs of androgenic activity, suchas acne and axillary odor, appear before age 8 in girls and under 9 in boys. Additionally, premature pubarche (PP), frequently caused by PA, involves the appearance of axillary, pubic, or perianalhair within this age range. PA has multifactorial causes, including obesity and reduced fetal growth, with its prevalence higher in girls and often associated with greater bone maturation. The diagnosis of PA is confirmed after the exclusion of other hyperandrogenic states. Recent research indicates that PA can lead to later endocrine-metabolic complications such as insulin resistance and ovulatory dysfunction, highlighting theneed for long-term follow-up. Thus, the present study aims to contribute to the understanding of PA and PP in childhood and to provide relevant information for posterior analysis of late metabolic and reproductive abnormalities in the adult phase of these patients.Objective: Describe the case series of male and female patients with Premature Pubarche and Adrenarchein a tertiary reference service for over 30 years.Methods: A retrospective descriptive study using medical records of male and female patients diagnosed with premature pubarche and adrenarche, followed up at the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic (ENI) of the Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (HC-FMRP-USP), between 1994 and 2023. Data will be organized and analyzed on the RedCap platform. Data regarding patients' epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, molecular, and radiological profiles will be presented as percentages, medians, and ranges. We will use the Shapiro-Wilk normality test to test the data distribution pattern. The groups' epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics will be compared using Fisher's exact test for categorical variables and the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test for continuous variables. In all analyses, a significance level of 5% will be adopted.