Age of thelarche and menarche in contemporary US females: a cross-sectional analysis

作者：Cabrera Susanne M; Bright George M; Frane James W; Blethen Sandra L; Lee Peter A^*

来源：JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY %26 METABOLISM, 2014, 27(1-2): 47-51.

DOI：10.1515/jpem-2013-0286

• menarche
• pubertal timing
• puberty
• thelarche

Aim: A recent secular trend towards earlier thelarche has been suggested. The aim of this study is to examine normative ages of thelarche and menarche in contemporary US females. %26lt;br%26gt;Methods: Trained physicians documented Tanner breast stage by observation in a cross-sectional cohort. Age of menarche was self-reported. The subjects were healthy female children and adolescents. The mean age of thelarche was determined by probit analysis and the mean age of menarche was determined by using a normal time-to-event model. %26lt;br%26gt;Results: Mean age of thelarche was 9.7 years among 610 females aged 3.0-17.9 years (70% non-Hispanic Caucasian (NHC), 14% African-Americans, 7% Hispanic, 9% %26quot;other%26quot;). The mean age of menarche was 12.8 years for NHC, with African-Americans having menarche 0.6 years earlier. %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusions: Thelarche occurred earlier than recently reported, while age of menarche remained unchanged, this supported a persistent secular trend towards earlier thelarche but stable age of menarche. This suggests that the observed thelarche is gonadotropin-independent or the tempo of pubertal advancement has slowed.

• 出版日期2014-1