{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,16]],"date-time":"2026-07-16T12:25:25Z","timestamp":1784204725523,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Bioscientifica","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,10]],"date-time":"2026-02-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1770681600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":439,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.bioscientifica.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Graphical abstract<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p\/>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>A high prevalence (40\u201375%) of organic brain lesions in boys with central precocious puberty (CPP) has been reported.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>To evaluate the causes of CPP in a large cohort of males and to identify the possible predictive factors for organic brain lesions in males.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>Design<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>An observational study was conducted in 102 otherwise healthy boys with CPP diagnosed from 1998 to 2023 in a single tertiary center.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>All boys underwent a thorough clinical, endocrine and neuroimaging assessment with a detailed evaluation of the pituitary region.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>Organic CPP was found in only 8\/102 children (7.8%). Children with brain tumors were younger than 8 years, had no family history positive for precocious puberty and maternal menarche occurred at an age significantly more advanced than in children with idiopathic CPP. Headache was reported at diagnosis in 7\/8 children with brain tumors. A progressive increase in the occurrence of idiopathic CPP in males has been observed in the last two decades with a peak of new diagnoses during the pandemic lockdown.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>Our findings indicate that the prevalence of pathological brain lesions in boys with CPP is considerably lower than previously reported, thus making the diagnosis less alarming. Age younger than 8 years, presence of neurological symptoms, family history negative for precocious puberty in the first-degree relatives and age of maternal menarche older than 11 years raise suspicion of organic CPP and should lead to prompt neuroimaging.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Significance statement<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Differently from what has been reported in most previous studies, our study has shown a low incidence of brain tumors in male children with precocious puberty, thus making the diagnosis less alarming for parents and physicians. Some criteria for a high index of suspicion of brain tumors in boys with precocious puberty have been identified. Finally, a progressive increase in the occurrence of idiopathic CPP in boys has been observed over the past two decades with a peak of new diagnoses during the pandemic lockdown, as previously reported in girls.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1530\/ec-24-0405","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,28]],"date-time":"2024-11-28T10:40:19Z","timestamp":1732790419000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1530\/crossmarkpolicy-10","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Prevalence of organic central precocious puberty in males: criteria for a high index of suspicion"],"prefix":"10.1530","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8036-0430","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Maria Elisa","family":"Amodeo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS \u201cBambino Ges\u00f9\u201d Children\u2019s Hospital 1 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Annalisa","family":"Deodati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS \u201cBambino Ges\u00f9\u201d Children\u2019s Hospital 1 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]},{"name":"Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata 2 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stefania","family":"Pedicelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS \u201cBambino Ges\u00f9\u201d Children\u2019s Hospital 1 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giulia","family":"Mirra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS \u201cBambino Ges\u00f9\u201d Children\u2019s Hospital 1 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valentina","family":"Pampanini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS \u201cBambino Ges\u00f9\u201d Children\u2019s Hospital 1 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2580-8781","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Stefano","family":"Cianfarani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, IRCCS \u201cBambino Ges\u00f9\u201d Children\u2019s Hospital 1 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]},{"name":"Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata 2 , ,","place":["Rome, Italy"]},{"name":"Department of Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Health, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital 3 , ,","place":["Stockholm, Sweden"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"416","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"265","DOI":"10.1016\/S2213-8587(15)00380-0","article-title":"Causes, diagnosis, and treatment of central precocious puberty","volume":"4","author":"Latronico","year":"2016","journal-title":"Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib2","first-page":"240","article-title":"Testicular size: assessment and clinical importance","volume":"7","author":"Prader","year":"1966","journal-title":"Triangle; Sandoz J Med Sci"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1136\/adc.45.239.13","article-title":"Variations in the pattern of pubertal changes in boys","volume":"45","author":"Marshall","year":"1970","journal-title":"Arch Dis Child"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2265.2001.01229.x","article-title":"Central precocious puberty: clinical and laboratory features","volume":"54","author":"Chemaitilly","year":"2001","journal-title":"Clin Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1053\/beem.2001.0176","article-title":"Regulation of puberty","volume":"16","author":"Delemarre-van de Waal","year":"2002","journal-title":"Best Practice Research Clin Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2366","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMcp0800459","article-title":"Precocious puberty","volume":"358","author":"Carel","year":"2008","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1159\/000058096","article-title":"Secular trends in pubertal development","volume":"57","author":"Karlberg","year":"2002","journal-title":"Horm Res Paediatrics"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2265.2006.02582.x","article-title":"Presentation and evolution of organic central precocious puberty according to the type of CNS lesion","volume":"65","author":"Trivin","year":"2006","journal-title":"Clin Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"687","DOI":"10.1515\/JPEM.2000.13.S1.687","article-title":"Etiology of central precocious puberty in males: the results of the Italian Study Group for Physiopathology of Puberty","volume":"13","author":"De Sanctis","year":"2000","journal-title":"J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3073","DOI":"10.1007\/s00431-021-04022-1","article-title":"Diagnosis and management of precocious sexual maturation: an updated review","volume":"180","author":"Cheuiche","year":"2021","journal-title":"Eur J Pediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"340","DOI":"10.1159\/000377678","article-title":"Changing etiological trends in male precocious puberty: evaluation of 100 cases with central precocious puberty over the last decade","volume":"83","author":"Alikasifoglu","year":"2015","journal-title":"Horm Res Paediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"668","DOI":"10.1210\/er.2002-0019","article-title":"The timing of normal puberty and the age limits of sexual precocity: variations around the world, secular trends, and changes after migration","volume":"24","author":"Parent","year":"2003","journal-title":"Endocr Rev"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4305","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.2010-1025","article-title":"Central precocious puberty in children living in Spain: incidence, prevalence, and influence of adoption and immigration","volume":"95","author":"Soriano-Guill\u00e9n","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Clin Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-3476(86)80767-3","article-title":"The NIH experience with precocious puberty: diagnostic subgroups and response to short-term luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analogue therapy","volume":"108","author":"Pescovitz","year":"1986","journal-title":"J Pediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib15","first-page":"607","article-title":"Isosexual precocity: the clinical and etiologic profile","volume":"30","author":"Desai","year":"1993","journal-title":"Indian Pediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e752","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2008-1783","article-title":"Consensus statement on the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs in children","volume":"123","author":"Carel","year":"2009","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1038\/s41390-022-02047-2","article-title":"Neuroimaging in 205 consecutive children diagnosed with central precocious puberty in Denmark","volume":"93","author":"Hansen","year":"2023","journal-title":"Pediatr Res"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2061","DOI":"10.1210\/clinem\/dgae035","article-title":"Central precocious puberty in Italian boys: data from a large nationwide cohort","volume":"109","author":"Cassio","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Clin Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1111\/cen.14462","article-title":"The incidence of brain lesions in central precocious puberty: the main cause for Chinese boys was idiopathic","volume":"95","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Clin Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0195209","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0195209","article-title":"The prevalence of brain abnormalities in boys with central precocious puberty may be overestimated","volume":"13","author":"Yoon","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib21","first-page":"1","article-title":"CDC growth charts: United States","volume":"314","author":"Kuczmarski","year":"2000","journal-title":"Adv Data"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"393","DOI":"10.1097\/00000441-195909000-00030","article-title":"Radiographic atlas of skeletal development of the hand and wrist","volume":"238","author":"Greulich","year":"1959","journal-title":"Am J Med Sci"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-3476(95)70254-7","article-title":"Normal ranges for immunochemiluminometric gonadotropin assays","volume":"127","author":"Neely","year":"1995","journal-title":"J Pediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1038\/s41574-023-00949-7","article-title":"Consensus guideline for the diagnosis and management of pituitary adenomas in childhood and adolescence: part 2, specific diseases","volume":"20","author":"Korbonits","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nat Rev Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1186\/s13052-021-01015-6","article-title":"Impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on early onset of puberty: experience of an Italian tertiary center","volume":"47","author":"Verzani","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ital J Pediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib26","first-page":"517","article-title":"Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis of idiopathic central precocious puberty in pediatric females in New York City","volume":"36","author":"Baby","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"bvad094","DOI":"10.1210\/jendso\/bvad094","article-title":"Precocious puberty diagnoses spike, COVID-19 pandemic, and body mass index: findings from a 4-year study","volume":"7","author":"Fava","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Endocr Soc"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.1007\/s40618-023-02146-9","article-title":"COVID-19 lockdown and the rate of central precocious puberty","volume":"47","author":"Goggi","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Endocrinol Invest"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1515\/jpem-2023-0507","article-title":"Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of central precocious puberty; a narrative review","volume":"37","author":"Hoskyns","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1186\/s13052-021-01081-w","article-title":"The impact of national containment measures on a pediatric Italian regional hub for COVID-19, an observational study","volume":"47","author":"Crea","year":"2021","journal-title":"Ital J Pediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5248","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12165248","article-title":"Endocrinological involvement in children and adolescents affected by COVID-19: a narrative review","volume":"12","author":"Calcaterra","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e210650","DOI":"10.1530\/EC-21-0650","article-title":"Sedentary lifestyle and precocious puberty in girls during the COVID-19 pandemic: an Italian experience","volume":"11","author":"Chioma","year":"2022","journal-title":"Endocr Connect"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib33","first-page":"542","article-title":"Likely impact of COVID-19 on referrals to pediatric endocrinology: increased incidence of precocious puberty in a third-level hospital","volume":"69","author":"Ariza Jimenez","year":"2022","journal-title":"Endocrinol Diabetes Nutr (Engl Ed)"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"803","DOI":"10.1530\/EJE-11-0876","article-title":"Effects of growth environments and two environmental endocrine disruptors on children with idiopathic precocious puberty","volume":"166","author":"Deng","year":"2012","journal-title":"Eur J Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.109.1.61","article-title":"Central precocious puberty in girls: an evidence-based diagnosis tree to predict central nervous system abnormalities","volume":"109","author":"Chalumeau","year":"2002","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101300","DOI":"10.1016\/j.beem.2019.101300","article-title":"Endocrine disrupters and possible contribution to pubertal changes","volume":"33","author":"Fudvoye","year":"2019","journal-title":"Best Practice Research Clin Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2765","DOI":"10.1093\/humrep\/det325","article-title":"Phthalates may promote female puberty by increasing kisspeptin activity","volume":"28","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Hum Reprod"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11846","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph182211846","article-title":"Italian children exposure to bisphenol A: biomonitoring data from the LIFE PERSUADED project","volume":"18","author":"Tait","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"498","DOI":"10.1016\/j.reprotox.2012.07.005","article-title":"Reproductive hormone profile and pubertal development in 14-year-old boys prenatally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls","volume":"34","author":"Grandjean","year":"2012","journal-title":"Reprod Toxicol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1447","DOI":"10.1080\/15287390590967360","article-title":"Serum hormones in boys prenatally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls and dibenzofurans","volume":"68","author":"Hsu","year":"2005","journal-title":"J Toxicol Environ Health A"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0199019","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0199019","article-title":"Central precocious puberty in Boston boys: a 10-year single center experience","volume":"13","author":"Topor","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.6065\/apem.2018.23.2.75","article-title":"Etiological trends in male central precocious puberty","volume":"23","author":"Lee","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"763","DOI":"10.24953\/turkjped.2020.05.007","article-title":"Gender-related differences in etiology of organic central precocious puberty","volume":"62","author":"Vurall\u0131","year":"2020","journal-title":"Turkish J Pediatr"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"466","DOI":"10.4103\/njcp.njcp_1866_21","article-title":"Evaluat\u0131on of Pitu\u0131tary\/Cranial imag\u0131ng results of central puberty precoc\u0131ous cases","volume":"25","author":"Kendirci","year":"2022","journal-title":"Niger J Clin Pract"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1173","DOI":"10.1515\/JPEM.2002.15.8.1173","article-title":"Precocious puberty: clinical and endocrine profile and factors indicating neurogenic precocity in Indian children","volume":"15","author":"Bajpai","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1029137","DOI":"10.3389\/fendo.2022.1029137","article-title":"A review of the genetics and epigenetics of central precocious puberty","volume":"13","author":"Moise-Silverman","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mce.2010.01.038","article-title":"Genetic determinants of pubertal timing in the general population","volume":"324","author":"Gajdos","year":"2010","journal-title":"Mol Cell Endocrinol"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2364","DOI":"10.1210\/jcem.86.6.7603","article-title":"Variation in the timing of puberty: clinical spectrum and genetic investigation","volume":"86","author":"Palmert","year":"2001","journal-title":"J Clin Endocrinol Metab"},{"key":"2026070710563123900_bib49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"422","DOI":"10.1093\/ejendo\/lvad129","article-title":"Familial central precocious puberty due to DLK1 deficiency: novel genetic findings and relevance of serum DLK1 levels","volume":"189","author":"Montenegro","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur J Endocrinol"}],"container-title":["Endocrine Connections"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/ec.bioscientifica.com\/view\/journals\/ec\/14\/2\/EC-24-0405.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/ec.bioscientifica.com\/downloadpdf\/journals\/ec\/14\/2\/EC-24-0405.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.bioscientifica.com\/ec\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1530\/EC-24-0405\/9161\/ec-24-0405.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.bioscientifica.com\/ec\/article-pdf\/doi\/10.1530\/EC-24-0405\/9161\/ec-24-0405.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,7]],"date-time":"2026-07-07T15:13:21Z","timestamp":1783437201000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.bioscientifica.com\/ec\/article\/14\/2\/e240405\/1344\/Prevalence-of-organic-central-precocious-puberty"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,28]]},"references-count":49,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1530\/ec-24-0405","relation":{},"ISSN":["2049-3614"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2049-3614","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,28]]},"article-number":"e240405"}}