Delayed Puberty and Its Association With Hormonal Changes in Children With Chronic Renal Insufficiency

Chronic kidney diseases affect sex hormones, and thus it is now hypothesized abnormal puberty phenomenon in adolescents suffering renal failure. The primary study endpoint was to assess the frequency of disorders related to the clinical incidence of puberty symptoms among children suffering chronic kidney disease, and the secondary endpoint was also to assess the relationship between such manifestations and the serum level of sexual hormones. This cross-sectional study was performed on children with chronic renal failure (more than three months after the onset of the disease). Al baseline characteristics were retrospectively extracted from the hospital recorded files. The pieces of evidence of anemia and acidosis also appeared more in those with delayed puberty. Comparing the groups with delayed puberty and normal puberty showed significantly lower mean body weight and lower mean height in the group with delayed puberty as compared to those with normal status. Comparing serum hormonal conditions between the groups with normal and delayed puberty also showed significantly reduced serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone, as well as increased the serum level of prolactin in the group suffering delayed puberty. The main determinants for delayed puberty in patients suffering chronic renal insufficiency included abnormality in serum hormonal status, along with pieces of evidence of anemia or acidosis. Children with chronic renal insufficiency suffer from delayed puberty. Such phenomenon might be closely linked to abnormal changes in sex hormones due to the nature of renal dysfunction and hemodialysis.