THERAPEUTIC USE OF PITUITARY OESENSITIZATION WITH A LONG-ACTING LHRM AGONIST: A POTENTIAL NEW TREATMENT FOR IDIOPATHIC PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

Abstract

A two year girl with idiopathi true precocious puberty was treated with a long-acting(LHRH) agonist,D–Trp⁶ –Pro⁹ –NEt–LHRH (LHRH_a). Prior to therapy, the patient demonstrated pulsatile gonadotropin Prior to therapy, the patient demonstratedpulsatile gonadotropin secretion during both night and day, a pubertal response to exogenous LHRH,and an elevated plasma estradiol level. After eight weeks of therapy (4 [g/kg daily), mean gonadotropin levels fell to the prepubertal range, there was no evidence of pulsatile discharge of gonadotropins nor any response to exogenous LHRH, and plasma estradiol levels became undetectable. No adverse drug reactions were encountered and all effects of therapy were reversed following cessationof treatment for two months. LHRH analogs may offer a nev; approach to the therapy of idiopathic precocious puberty and merit further study.