Differences in Puberty of Girls before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in consultations for precocious puberty. We aim to analyze differences in female puberty before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional analytical study was designed at the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Maranhão in São Luis, Brazil. We included 55 girls with precocious puberty, 22 who started puberty during the pandemic and 33 who started puberty before the pandemic. Clinical, anthropometric, laboratory and imaging variables were compared between groups. Statistics were performed to determine if there was a statistical difference between the groups. Girls with puberty during the pandemic had higher Z-scores for weight (1.08 ± 1.29 versus 0.69 ± 0.83; p = 0.04), lower ovarian volume (1.88 ± 0.95 versus 3.15 ± 2.31; p = 0.01), and smaller differences between thelarche noticed by the parents and the diagnosis (6.63 ± 5.21 versus 12.15 ± 9.96; p = 0.02). The association between precocious puberty during the pandemic with higher Z-scores for weight, lower ovarian volume, and a reduction in the time between the perception of pubertal findings by parents and the diagnosis suggests the influence of the pandemic on the normal time of puberty.

Clinical and molecular spectrum of patients with 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17-ß-HSD3) deficiency.

The enzyme 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17-ß-HSD3) catalyzes the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone in the testes, and its deficiency is a rare disorder of sex development in 46,XY individuals. It can lead to a wide range of phenotypic features, with variable hormonal profiles. We report four patients with the 46,XY karyotype and 17-ß-HSD3 deficiency, showing different degrees of genital ambiguity, increased androstenedione and decreased testosterone levels, and testosterone to androstenedione ratio < 0.8. In three of the patients, diagnosis was only determined due to the presence of signs of virilization at puberty. All patients had been raised as females, and female gender identity was maintained in all of them. Compound heterozygosis for c.277+2T>G novel mutation, and c.277+4A>T mutation, both located within the intron 3 splice donor site of the HSD17B3 gene, were identified in case 3. In addition, homozygosis for the missense p.Ala203Val, p.Gly289Ser, p.Arg80Gln mutations were found upon HSD17B3 gene sequencing in cases 1, 2, and 4, respectively.

Clinical and molecular spectrum of patients with 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17-β-HSD3) deficiency / Espectro clínico e molecular de pacientes com deficiência de 17β-hidroxiesteroide desidrogenase tipo 2 (17-β-HSD3)

The enzyme 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17-β-HSD3) catalyzes the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone in the testes, and its deficiency is a rare disorder of sex development in 46,XY individuals. It can lead to a wide range of phenotypic features, with variable hormonal profiles. We report four patients with the 46,XY karyotype and 17-β-HSD3 deficiency, showing different degrees of genital ambiguity, increased androstenedione and decreased testosterone levels, and testosterone to androstenedione ratio < 0.8. In three of the patients, diagnosis was only determined due to the presence of signs of virilization at puberty. All patients had been raised as females, and female gender identity was maintained in all of them. Compound heterozygosis for c.277+2T>G novel mutation, and c.277+4A>T mutation, both located within the intron 3 splice donor site of the HSD17B3 gene, were identified in case 3. In addition, homozygosis for the missense p.Ala203Val, p.Gly289Ser, p.Arg80Gln mutations were found upon HSD17B3 gene sequencing in cases 1, 2, and 4, respectively. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2012;56(8):533-9.

A enzima 17β-hidroxiesteroide desidrogenase tipo 3 (17-β-HSD3) catalisa a conversão de androstenediona a testosterona nos testículos, e sua deficiência é uma forma rara de distúrbio do desenvolvimento do sexo em indivíduos 46,XY. A desordem apresenta um amplo espectro de características fenotípicas e de resultados de dosagens laboratoriais. Neste trabalho, são relatados quatro casos de deficiência da 17-β-HSD3 com cariótipo 46,XY, ambiguidade genital em diversos graus, androstenediona aumentada, testosterona diminuída, e relação testosterona e androstenediona < 0,8. Em três das pacientes, o diagnóstico foi suspeitado devido à presença de sinais de virilização na puberdade. Todos os pacientes foram criados como mulheres, e a identidade de gênero feminino foi mantida em todas elas. A heterozigose composta da mutação nova c.277+2T>G e da mutação c.277+4A>T, ambas localizadas no sítio doador de splicing do íntron 3 do gene HSD17B3, foi identificada no caso 3. Além dessas, as mutações missense p.Ala203Val, p.Gly289Ser, p.Arg80Gln foram identificadas em homozigose pelo sequenciamento do gene HSD17B3 dos casos 1, 2 e 4, respectivamente. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2012;56(8):533-9.