Pros and cons of GnRHa treatment for early puberty in girls

Secular trends in age at pubertal development and the potential influence of environmental factors challenge the standard definitions of precocious puberty and the indications for intervention with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa)Treatment with GnRHa can improve adult height in patients who present with precocious puberty at a young age, without having adverse effectsWhether GnRHa therapy is beneficial for patients with atypical forms of early puberty not driven by luteinising hormone is unknownEarly exposure to estrogen (at <8 years old) might have long-term implications for adult health, such as increasing the risks of developing breast cancer, the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitusAlternative intervention strategies need to be evaluated in girls with early puberty, such as weight loss or therapy with insulin sensitizers