Why do studies show different associations between intrauterine exposure to maternal smoking and age at menarche?

Purpose

Studies suggests that intrauterine exposure to maternal smoking both accelerates or delays age at menarche. We hypothesize that these opposing findings relate to different infant and childhood growth patterns across cohorts.

Female reproductive factors and risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality among women: The Japan Public Health Center–based Prospective Study (JPHC study)

Purpose

We investigated the association between reproductive history and mortality from all and major causes among Japanese women.

The interrelationships between age, physical measurements and body composition at menarche in schoolgirls at Ilorin, Nigeria

A cross-sectional study of age, physical size and body composition at menarche was made at Ilorin, Nigeria among 162 secondary school girls who reached menarche between March and June, 1983. The findings show that the mean age, height and weight are 13.7 +/- 1.0 years, 156.2 +/- 6.3 cm and 47.4 +/- 6.7 kg, respectively. The estimated body composition is: total body water (TBW), 25.7 +/- 2.3 l; lean body mass (LBM), 35.7 +/- 3.3 kg; and fat content, 11.8 +/- 3.8 kg. Whereas the coefficient of variation was highest for fat content (32.2), it was least for height (4.0). Menarcheal age has a weak correlation to all the variables, but strong correlation existed between weight and the parameters of body composition. The findings of body composition at menarche in Nigerian and North American schoolgirls are similar.     

Final height and pubertal growth in Japanese patients with congenital hypothyroidism detected by neonatal screening

Aim: To investigate the final adult heights and pubertal growth patterns in Japanese patients with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) detected by neonatal screening. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of female patients >15 y of age (n = 18) and male patients >18 y of age (n = 9), who were detected by neonatal screening and kept on continuous thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Final height standard deviation scores (FHSDS) and target height standard deviation scores (THSDS) were determined. Parameters characterizing the pubertal growth process (such as age at onset of pubertal growth spurt and age at peak pubertal growth) were obtained from each patient's growth rate chart. Menarchial age was determined in each female patient by reviewing the medical record. The impact on FHSDS of the etiology of CH, the severity of CH, the time of initiation of therapy and the adequacy of treatment during the first year of life was assessed. Results: All patients had received initial thyroid hormone treatment no later than 50 d of age, and had reached their final height. The mean FHSDS for female and male patients were +0.17 ± 0.99 and -0.03 ± 0.99, respectively. The mean FHSDS-THSDS for female and male patients was +0.09 ± 0.77 and -0.19 ± 0.53, respectively. No difference was seen in pubertal growth parameters for either gender compared with that of the reference population, except for a greater peak height velocity and pubertal height gain in male patients. The mean menarchial age was identical to that of the reference population. No significant relationship was found between the FHSDS and any of the factors investigated.

Conclusion: The adult height of patients with CH detected by neonatal screening was equivalent to that of the reference population and their target height. As long as early intervention and satisfactory management are ensured, severe CH does not appear to reduce final adult height.     

Body size,fat distribution,menarcheal age and blood pressure in 14-year-old girls

Background: The relationships between body size and fatness and blood pressure are generally acknowledged. The majority of the few studies that have examined the effect of fat distribution and maturation rate on blood pressure have used secondary sex characteristics as the measure of maturity. The aim of the present study is to examine the associations between blood pressure and relative weight, fat distribution, recalled menarcheal age and occurrence of menstruation (yes/no) in a sample comprising of 1149 14-year-old girls. Methods: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), height, weight and body circumferences were measured using standard protocols. Fatness was expressed as body mass index (BMI, kg/m²), whereas fat distribution was estimated by using waist-to-hip ratio. The girls' maturity status was assessed from exact recalled date of menarche. One-way analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the strength of association among systolic blood pressure (SBP), DBP and BMI, menarcheal age and indices of fat distribution. Results and conclusion: Height and BMI are significantly associated with SBP. Relative weight is the most important factor related to SBP independently of chronological age and maturity status. Height and age at menarche are significantly associated with DBP. Height of 14-year-old girls shows the same strength of association with SBP and DBP, whereas maturity status negatively correlates with DBP. Fat distribution shows no effect on the level of DBP in girls.     

女生初潮年龄提前与黄体生成素受体基因Asp578Gly突变

目的研究黄体生成素受体(LHR)基因Asp578Gly突变与女生初潮年龄提前的关系,为青少年青春期发育研究提供依据。方法分层整群抽取无锡市177名初潮年龄提前(初潮年龄<11岁)女生,外周血提取DNA,用5’-CAC TGC TGG CTT TTT CAC TGTATT-3’和5’-TGA AGG CAG CTG AGA TGG CAA AAA-3’作引物,经常规PCR扩增后,用限制性内切酶MspⅠ消化,以检测LHR基因是否存在A1733G的碱基突变。结果初潮年龄提前组LH水平高于正常组(P<0.05),而两组FSH差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。177名初潮年龄提前女生的LHR基因均未检测到Asp578Gly突变。结论 Asp578Gly突变与女性初潮年龄提前无直接关系。     

生育期时间与女性缺血性脑卒中预后的关系

目的 探讨生育期时间与女性缺血性脑卒中患者预后的关系.方法 连续纳入2006年9月3日至2008年8月30日入住郑州大学第一附属医院神经内科的经CT或MRI证实的女性脑梗死患者.筛选与缺血性脑卒中预后可能相关的危险因素,随访6个月时的改良Rankin评分(MRS),使用多元Logistic回归进行统计分析.结果 共纳入患者371例,平均年龄为(66.2±10.0)岁;平均绝经年龄为(48.5±3.9)岁;平均生育期为(33.3±4.3)岁;经Logistic回归分析显示,生育期时间与MRS呈负相关,OR=0.285,95%CI为0.095～0.850,P=0.024.绝经年龄与预后无关.结论 生育期时间与脑卒中预后相关,生育期长的女性缺血性脑卒中患者预后较好.     

月经初潮时特发性矮小女童的生长激素治疗

目的应用重组人生长激素(recombinant human growth hormone,rhGH)促进月经初潮时特发性矮小症(idio-pathic short stature,ISS)女童的生长发育,并观察其疗效。方法对36例月经初潮后1个月内就诊的特发性矮小症女孩,根据家长治疗意愿,分为治疗组(22例)和对照组(14例),治疗组每晚临睡前给予rhGH 0.15～0.20 IU/(kg.d)皮下注射,疗程12个月,对照组未给予任何治疗,观察时间12个月。最后比较两组儿童的骨龄(bone age,BA)、生长速率(growth velocity,GV)、预测成年身高(prediction of adult height,PAH)、身高标准差分值(HtSDSBA)。结果治疗组患儿治疗后GV、HtSDSBA、PAH与治疗前比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),其他差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);治疗后治疗组GV、PAH、HtSDSBA与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组其他指标比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论 rhGH能改善青春后期ISS女童PAH、GV及HtSDSBA,而BA增长无明显加速现象,无严重不良反应,疗效肯定。