Global Pediatric Health (Dec 2022)

Increased Incidence of Precocious Puberty in Girls During COVID-19 Pandemic: Early Indicator of the Upcoming Childhood Metabolic Syndrome Pandemic?

  • Alaa Itani MD,
  • Aya Abou Hamdan MD,
  • Hawraa Zgheib MD,
  • Zeina Ghandour MD,
  • Christy Costanian PhD,
  • Ahlam Azar MD

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/2333794X221134565
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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To evaluate retrospectively the incidence of central precocious puberty (CPP) during the COVID 19 lockdown and comparing the data with the corresponding data from the previous 2 years. The study included 23 girls with CPP and 14 patients with early puberty. Nineteen patients were newly diagnosed with CPP compared to 4 patients diagnosed with CPP during the previous 2 years. The number of new patients diagnosed with CPP was significantly higher than the mean during the previous 2 years ( P < .001). There were more overweight patients with CPP during and after the lockdown ( P < .05). These patients had also increased uterus length ( P < .05) and more advanced bone age ( P < .05). The increase in the incidence of central precocious puberty during and after the lockdown due to COVID 19 can be considered a serious consequence of the increased fat mass and an early indicator of the worsening of childhood obesity.