Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Early-onset androgen excess commonly presents in pre-pubertal girls as premature adrenarche (PA). Girls with PA have clinical signs of androgen excess, such as pubic/axillary hair, body odour, greasy hair, and moderately elevated adrenal androgens before their 8th birthday. There is conflicting evidence if girls with PA are at higher risk to have or develop metabolic dysfunction, or progress to developing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), the mos...

Background: Androgen excess frequently manifests in pre-pubertal children as premature adrenarche (PA). PA is characterised by the development of pubic and axillary hair, adult-type body odour in girls <8yrs and in boys <9yrs. PA may be a forerunner condition of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a complex metabolic disorder characterised by androgen excess. It is well established that women with PCOS have high risk of insulin resistance and frequently develop type 2 di...