RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of long-term administration of GnRH agonists (GnRHa) on PRL secretion in children affected by central precocious puberty (CPP) and growth hormone deficiency (GHD). DESIGN: Prospective analysis of blood sampling before, during, and after GnRHa treatments. SETTING: Pediatric endocrine center. PATIENT(S): One hundred nineteen and 93 children with a diagnosis of CPP and GHD, respectively. INTERVENTION(S): Monthly depot injections of GnRHa drugs (leuprorelin acetate 3.75 mg [LA] and triptorelin 3.75 mg [TR]) administered to CPP and GHD patients for 40 and 24 months, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Serum PRL levels at baseline and after 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, and 40 months of treatment with GnRHa were compared between CPP and GHD groups. PRL levels at 6 and 12 months after GnRHa withdrawal were also examined. RESULT(S): Although serum PRL levels tended to be higher in TR- than in LA-treated patients, no significant difference in circulating PRL in basal condition and during GnRHa treatment was detected between the CPP and GHD groups. However, five children (3.8%) developed hyperprolactinemia during TR treatment. CONCLUSION(S): Although there are no general concerns about GnRHa treatment safety, careful PRL monitoring is required in GnRHa-treated children.