RESUMEN
Context: Gender identity, psychosexual function, psychiatric adjustment and quality of life have been investigated in congenital adrenal hyperplasia(CAH) patients. Objective: We aimed to investigate gender identity problems and the psychiatric disorders and associated factors in children and adolescents with CAH patients. Subjects and methods: Forty-five children and adolescents with CAH were included in the study. Psychiatric comorbidity was assessed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children - Present and Lifetime Version. Gender identity problems were investigated using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria. Results: The mean age of the sample was 11.02 years (SD: 3.25, range: 6-18). 51.1% of the patients had at least one lifetime comorbid psychiatric disorder. The most common diagnoses were anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), tic disorders and enuresis nocturna. Tic disorders and ADHD were higher in males but they were not statistically significant. Two female patients were diagnosed with gender dysphoria and 18.5% of females showed variably masculinized behaviors. The girls with gender identity problems expressed lower satisfaction with their sex than other girls and boys. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with CAH had many psychiatric disorders, especially neurodevelopmental disorders. ADHD and tic disorders should be kept in mind during assessment especially in male patients. Gender dysphoria and masculine behaviors seem to be common in female patients with CAH so they should be carefully investigated.
RESUMEN
In 22 patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), the effect of treatment on growth was evaluated retrospectively. The degree of control with treatment had generally been assessed by measurements of serum 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) and/or urinary pregnanetriol levels. In 20 patients, there were no significant differences in both height SDS for bone age (-2.05 +/- 1.89 vs -1.85 +/- 1.30) and height SDS for chronological age (CA) (0.23 +/- 1.94 vs -0.36 +/- 1.81) in a mean uninterrupted treatment period of 5.80 +/- 3.58 years. Further analysis in salt-losers and nonsalt-losers separately showed that height SDS for bone age had decreased in the salt-losers and had increased in the nonsalt-losers. Six patients had signs of early puberty. In 22 patients, there was a negative correlation between the prednisolone dose on one hand and height velocity SDS for CA and bone age velocity on the other. It was also found that the mean serum levels of 17-OHP did not always reflect the degree of long term control measured by auxological parameters. These findings indicate that our treatment in the patients did not result in a significant improvement in height prognosis. We can conclude that growth prognosis in CAH patients can be improved by relying on auxological parameters rather than serum 17-OHP and urinary pregnanetriol levels for monitoring control. Special attention should be paid to salt-losers in this respect.