Precious puberty, Primary amenorrhea Flashcards
What is precious puberty?
Pubertal development <8yrs
What is the most common cause of precious puberty? How common in girls/boys?
Idiopathic
74% girls
40% boys
What are the 2 main catergories of precious puberty?
GnRH-dependant (early activation of HPO axis)
GnRH-independant
List some causes of GnRH dependant?
Idiopathic
CNS abnormalitites (7% girls, 25% boys)
- Space occupying lesion
- Infection
- Head injury
- Tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis
- Late/incomplete CAH
Typically experience a growth spurt
List causes of GnRH-independent of precious puberty
1) Topical/systemic androgens/oestrogens
2) Tumous - ovarian/adrenal
3) Severe hypothyroidism
4) McCune-Albright syndrome
5) CAH
What % of female precious puberty is caused my McCune Albright Syndrome
5%
Describe McCune-Albright Syndrome
Genetic condition, hight GTPase activity
- Bone fibrous dysplasia → ‘ground-glass’ cortex, risk fractures, osteomalacia
- Hyperfunctioning endroniopathy, not from pituitary hormones
- Hyperthyroid, cushings
- Precious puberty
High oestrogen/testosterone, low FSH/LH - Cafe-au-lait spots
What questions in the Hx should be asked for precious puberty?
Cerebral problems - trauma, encephalitis
Symptoms suggestive of space occupying lesion - headache, seizures, visual symptoms
Onset and progression - abrupt + rapid progression suggests oestrogen secreting tumour
Symptoms suggestive of abdominal mass - pain, urinary / bowel disturbance
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
Growth spurt - may help distinguish between precocious puberty and premature telerache
Iso-sexual or heterosexual
Drug history - oestrogens / androgens
Family history - precocious puberty, inherited syndromes such as CAH / neurofibromatosis
Social history - psycho-social problems
What features should be looked for examination for precious puberty?
Height & weight
Neurological examination including optic discs
Skin- caf- au lait spots / neurofibromas
Signs of virilisation - deepening of voice, hirsutism, increased muscle mass
Stage breast and hair development
Abdominal examination - mass
Examine external genitalia for evidence of oestrogenisation / virilisation
Vaginal examination not valuable
What investigations should be ordered for Ix precious puberty?
XRAY L hand/wrist - bone age ?greater than chronological age
Serum LH,FSH, DHEA-S, Oestradiol, TSH
- Random LH level in puberty range → advance PP
GnRH stimulation test
Pelvis USS
MRI head
If evidence of hyperandrogenaemia, what tests should be ordered?
Testosterone
17-OH-poregesterone
DHEA
+/- ACTH stimulation test
?Mild form CAH
What the treatment aims when managing precious puberty?
1) Dx + Tx life threatening conditions - tumour/intra-cranial
2) Arrest maturation until normal age of puberty
3) Diminish secondary sexual charaterisitics
4) Maximise eventual height
5) Avoid emotional problems/provide contraception
What is the mainstay for Tx for previous puberty?
GnRH analogues - usually depot (not effective for non GnRH causes, CAH/McCune Albright
What is the definition of primary amenorrhoea
No pubertal growth spurt/secondary sexual characteristic by age 14
or
No menstruation by age 16
How many stages to the tanner scale?
5 stages
Breast development and pubic hair
What is the most common cause of primary amenorrhoea?
Constitutional delay
Diagnosis of exclusion
Describe LH/FSH pre-puberty?
Low circulating levels
FSH>LH
Explained start of puberty
Increased production of GnRH from hypothalamus in pulsatile fashion.
Occurs between ages 10-14 girls and 12-16 in boys.
Causes episodic pulses of LH especially at night.
As puberty advances both FSH and LH during the day, becoming more fequent.
Leads to increased gonadal steroid synthesis
LH>FSH
What effect does FSH and LH have on the oocyte?
LH stimulates theca cells to produces androstenedione
FSH stimulates granulose cell to convert androstenedione into oestrogen and progesterone
Normal menstruation is dependant on what 5 things?
- Normal karyotype/gene - development internal/external genitalia
- Normal CNS hypothalamic response & production of GnRH
- Normal pituitary response to GnRH & production of gonadotropins
- Anotmically & biochemical normal ovaries (and adrenals), with normal response to gonadotropins
- Presence of normal uterus, vagina and end-organ response to ovarian and adrenal steroids
An example of abnormal karyotype is Turners syndrome. What is the karyotype?
45X
What genetics abnormlaties can cause Turners
- non disjunctions during meiosis, most often in sperm, 45 X
- Mosaics 45X or 46XX
- Structural abnormality of X chromosome, Xp deletion
Symptoms depend on how much of X chromosome is missing