Premature Adrenarche Leads to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?: Long-Term Consequences

doi:10.1196/annals.1365.013

Premature adrenarche is characterized by an early increase inadrenal androgen production that results in the developmentof pubic hair before the age of 8 years in girls and 9 yearsin boys, with or without axillary hair, and with no other signsof sexual development. Premature adrenarche has no adverse effectson the onset and progression of gonadarche and final height.However, it can no longer be considered a benign condition asit has been associated with hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia,and obesity already in the prepubertal period and polycysticovary syndrome (PCOS) at adolescence. Furthermore, a possibleassociation between premature adrenarche and metabolic and endocrineabnormalities with low birth weight has been postulated. PCOS,as recently redefined, is the most common endocrine disorderto affect women of reproductive age and has been associatedwith increased risk for type 2 diabetes and increased prevalenceof cardiovascular risk factors at an earlier age than expected.Premature adrenarche and PCOS share similar metabolic disturbances.It may be that metabolic abnormalities start very early in lifeduring the prenatal or prepubertal period and premature adrenarchemay be a forerunner of PCOS and the metabolic syndrome in somegirls. Large long-term epidemiological studies are needed toallow clear association of the two conditions and assessmentof the risk of disease in later life.

Part IV. Female Metabolic Syndrome and Chronic Inflammation

Long-Term Consequences