Available online 7 October 2022

To characterize the skeletal, cardiometabolic, cognitive, and mental health, phenotype of adolescents with idiopathic Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI).

Pediatric tertiary referral center in Cincinnati, Ohio

Nine adolescents (ages 11-18.99 years) with newly diagnosed POI and nine normally menstruating controls, matched by age and BMI.

Between group comparisons of bone characteristics assessed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), psychosocial health (anxiety, depression, and quality of life) and cognition and memory by questionnaire.

Adolescents with POI had lower bone density Z-scores by DXA (lumbar spine -1.93 vs. 0.80; whole body less head -2.05 vs. 0.00, total hip -1.03 vs. 0.83, and femoral neck -1.23 vs. 0.91, all p<0.001), as well as lower trabecular volumetric BMD (tibia 3% site 226 vs. 288 mg/mm3, p<0.001, radius 3% site 200 vs. 251, p=0.001), smaller cortical area (tibia 66% site 251 vs. 292 mm2, p=0.028) and thickness (tibia 66% site 3.56 vs. 4.30 mm, p=0.001) than controls. No abnormalities in cardiometabolic biomarkers were detected in POI cases. Adolescents with POI were also more likely to report low energy (78% vs. 22%, p=0.02).

Estrogen deficiency adversely affects bone health in adolescents with POI. However, we did not find associations with cardiometabolic, mental health, or cognitive outcomes in this small sample.

Premature ovarian insufficiency

Adolescents

Bone health

© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.