SPONTANEOUS GONADOTROPHIN PULSATILITY AND OVARIAN MORPHOLOGY IN GIRLS WITH CENTRAL PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY TREATED WITH CYPROTERONE ACETATE

Abstract

We have studied four girls with central precocious puberty treated with cyproterone acetate for a mean of 3.6 years (range 1.5-6.3 years). Pelvic ultrasound assessment demonstrated suppression of the ovarian morphology of central precocious puberty despite the presence of spontaneous pulsatile gonadotrophin secretion at night. We suggest that the previously reported effects on gonadotropin secretion induced by cyproterone acetate therapy, administered in recommended doses, are minor and that the predominant effect of cyproterone acetate in the treatment of girls with central precocious puberty is direct inhibition of ovarian steroidogenesis.