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Pajares reported that 29% of the patients who had
precocious puberty elicited by secondary androgen
exposure had no regression of symptoms. This was
characterized by persistently enlarged penile size,
presence of pubic hair, and advanced bone age de-
spite normalized androgen levels; 47% of patients
had only partial regression of these symptoms. 4
Our report highlights the importance of obtaining
a detailed family history in the workup of a patient
with early puberty. Obtaining this information will
guide the provider in establishing the diagno-
sis earlier and individualizing the care, as well as
avoiding unnecessary and expensive diagnostic
tests. Furthermore, it should be emphasized that
pubertal assessment by the parent is not a reliable
measure of exact sexual maturation of the child;
therefore, the genital examination must be part of
annual health supervision visits for every child to
determine the stage of puberty. 5
Although eight years have passed since
the FDA enforced black box warnings on topi-
cal testosterone products, there continue to be
incidences of virilization like the one discussed
above. These cases suggest lack of education
and understanding of exposure prevention, as
well as lack of adherence. Secondary testoster-
one exposure remains overlooked by the medical
community, and as a result, primary care provid-
ers and specialists are not as cognizant of this
public health concern as they shou ld be. Consid-
ering the potentially irreversible adverse effects of
prolonged testosterone exposure in a growing and
developing child, it is of paramount importance to
have a detailed conversation between the patient
and prescribing provider to illuminate the best ad-
ministration option of testosterone—a conversa-
tion that takes into account the patient’s family
life, schedule, and living arrangements.
Conclusion
Secondary androgen exposure should al-
ways be high on the differential diagnosis in cases
of sexual precocity, particularly in a family with
multiple affected members. A thorough physical
examination and family history can guide the pro-
vider in formulating a diagnostic plan that might
avoid unnecessary testing. An open and continued
dialogue between the patient and physician would
ensure that the recommended mode of treatment
meets the patients’ needs and can accommodate
the patients’ lifestyle and home life while limiting
secondary exposure to children.
References
1. Surampudi P, Swerdloff RS, Wang C. An update
on male hypogonadism therapy. Expert opin-
ion on pharmacotherapy. 2014;15(9):1247-
1264. doi:10.1517/14656566.2014.913022.
2. Cavender RK, Fairall M. Precocious Puberty
Secondary to Topical Testosterone Transfer:
A Case Report. J Sex Med. 2011;8(2):622-6.
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.02082.x.
3. Kunz, Gregory J., et al. Virilization of young
children after topical androgen use by their
parents. Pediatrics. 2004, 114(1):282-4.
4. Martinez-Pajares J, Diaz-Morales O, Ramos-
Diaz J, Gomez-Fernandez E. Peripheral
precocious puberty due to inadvertent ex-
posure to testosterone: case report and re-
view of the literature. J Pediatr Endocr Met.
2012;25(9-10):1007-1012. doi: 10.1515/
jpem-2012-0124.
5. Rasmussen A, Wohlfahrt-Veje C, Tefre de
Renzy-Martin K, et al. Validity of Self-Assess-
ment of Pubertal Maturation. Pediatrics. 2014;
135(1). doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-0793.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains is seeking a “back-up” physician
who would agree to handle complications from medication
abortion (which are rare), as required by Arkansas law. Without
such a physician, medication abortion is likely to be banned
throughout the entire state.
This position does not involve providing abortion services, but
it is crucial to preserving abortion access. We are committed to
ensuring Arkansas women have access to critical care.
To learn more about the position, including compensation
and anticipated time commitments, please send us an email
at [email protected] or call (913) 345-4605.
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