Serum nesfatin-1 and leptin levels in non-obese girls with premature thelarche

• Published in: Journal of endocrinological investigation Vol. 38; no. 8; pp. 909 - 913
• Main Authors: Çatlı, G., Anık, A., Küme, T., Çalan, Ö. G., Dündar, B. N., Böber, E., Abacı, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-08-2015
• Subjects: Biomarkers - blood; Calcium-Binding Proteins - blood; Child; Child, Preschool; DNA-Binding Proteins - blood; Endocrinology; Female; Humans; Leptin - blood; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Nerve Tissue Proteins - blood; Nucleobindins; Obesity; Original Article; Puberty, Precocious - blood; Puberty, Precocious - diagnosis; Premature thelarche; Leptin; Nesfatin-1
• ISSN: 1720-8386; 1720-8386
• DOI: 10.1007/s40618-015-0277-8

Aim
We aimed to investigate serum nesfatin-1 level in girls with premature thelarche (PT) and its relationship with anthropometric parameters and leptin, which are involved in the initiation of pubertal process.
Subjects-methods
Non-obese girls who presented with the complaint of early (2–8 years) and isolated breast development were included in the study. The control group consisted of age-matched healthy prepubertal girls. Auxological measurements were performed in all subjects. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test and bone age assessment were conducted in subjects with early breast development. Girls with a bone age/chronologic age ratio <1.2 and a peak luteinizing hormone (LH) response to GnRH stimulation <5 mIU/L were included in the PT group.
Results
The study included 22 non-obese girls with PT and 24 healthy prepubertal controls. Body mass index (BMI), BMI-standard deviation score (SDS) and height SDS were similar between the groups (
p
 > 0.05). Serum leptin and nesfatin-1 levels were found significantly higher in the PT group compared to controls (
p
 < 0.05). No correlation was detected between nesfatin-1 and basal LH, basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), stimulated peak LH, peak FSH, leptin levels and anthropometric parameters in the PT group (
p
 > 0.05).
Conclusion
Results of the present study showed that serum nesfatin-1 and leptin levels are significantly higher in girls with PT than in prepubertal controls. This finding suggests that similar to leptin, nesfatin-1 may also have a central or peripheral role in the initiation of pubertal process and may be related to PT pathogenesis.