Endocrine Abstracts

Kisspeptin (formerly known as metastin) is a neuropeptide, has an important role in initiating secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone at puberty. Kisspeptin hormone levels disorders cause hypogonadism or premature sexual development and sterility.

Aims: The study was undertaken to research the kisspeptin level in healthy girls and adolescent girls and in girls and adolescents with gynaecological and endocrine disorders.

Patients and methods: Serum kisspeptin levels were determined in 100 children and adolescents (aged 0.7–18 years). The healthy children was 12, children with precocious puberty (central precocious puberty CPP and premature isolated thelarche PIT) – 11, healthy adolescents – 30, girls with amenorrhea – 23, patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – nine and pregnant adolescent girls – 15. The concentration of kisspeptin was measured using Kisspeptin-10 and competitive enzyme immunoassay. Results were analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Data are expressed as median, P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: The investigation shows that healthy and pregnant adolescent girls had kisspeptin median levels 0.03 ng/ml. Among the girls with amenorrhea and PCOS kisspeptin levels were lower 0.01 ng/ml (P=0.014). Serum kisspeptin levels were significantly higher in children with CPP and PIT and adolescent girls with PCOS than in control group (0.08 and 0.3 vs 0.03 ng/ml, P=0.012 and P<0.01).

Conclusion: Kisspeptin levels were various in healthy children, adolescents and girls with amenorrhe, PCOS, children with central precocious puberty and PIT. In this study, we demonstrated that serum kisspeptin levels were not different in healthy adolescents and pregnant adolescent girls. In this study, we demonstrated that serum kisspeptin levels were significantly lower in girls with amenorrhea and PCOS and higher in children with CPP and PT. The serum kisspeptin levels may be used as a marker of reproductive disorders and PCOS in girls.