Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT1993

Context: Short-statured mid-pubertal boys with predicted adult height (PAHt) below the third percentile present a significant therapeutic challenge. Aromatase inhibitors (AI) delay estrogen-driven epiphyseal fusion and possibly enhance adult height (AHt).

Objective: To assess the efficacy of AI treatment on AHt in mid-pubertal boys with a short PAHt due to advanced bone age (BA) or idiopathic short stature (ISS).

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Tertiary pediatric endocrine referral center.

Patients and methods: Two groups of mid-pubertal boys treated with AI were studied: 27 boys with fast puberty compared to matched untreated controls and 16 boys with ISS treated with GH and AI compared to those treated with GH only. Anthropometric measurements, BA and PAHt, were tracked. AHt was compared across groups.

Main outcome measures: Achieved AHt in AI-treated boys vs controls and the PAHt.

Results: Median AI treatment duration was 2. 8 for AI only and 2 years for the GH+AI groups. Throughout treatment, AI-treated groups showed similar height gain compared to their controls, a decrease in BASDS (AI only: P = 0. 009; GH+AI: P = 0. 029), and increased PAHt (AI only: P = 0. 003; GH+AI: P = 0. 037). AI-treated groups achieved taller AHt than their controls (AI only:166. 6±3. 1 vs. 163. 4±1. 3cm, P = 0. 003; GH+AI:167. 3±6. 1 vs. 164. 9±3. 5cm, P = 0. 194), and a more significant difference between AHt and PAHt groups (AI only: P = 0. 001; GH+AI: P = 0. 050).

Conclusions: AI treatment extends the growth period, resulting in an AHt surpassing initial predictions. Our findings underscore the potential of AI treatment in mid-pubertal boys with a short PAHt due to advanced BA or those with ISS treated with GH.