Assessing Pubertal Timing, Duration, and Related Characteristics in ASXL-Related Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Caregiver Survey Analysis.

Abstract

Limited studies have been conducted on pubertal development in populations with pre-existing medical conditions. More than 20-fold increased risk of early puberty has been reported in neurodevelopmental disorders; however, this is a heterogeneous group. There have been limited past studies examining the timing, duration, or characteristics of pubertal or menstrual cycle development in patients with ASXL-related disorders. This study aimed to gather empirical cross-sectional parent survey data regarding pubertal development in adolescents diagnosed with Bohring-Opitz syndrome (BOS) (ASXL1), Shashi-Pena syndrome (SPS) (ASXL2), or Bainbridge-Ropers syndrome (BRS) (ASXL3). Our findings showed evidence for parental and perceived provider concern for premature pubarche and possible precocious puberty (PP) in BOS (ASXL1) males and females. Findings between the BOS (ASXL1) and BRS (ASXL3) individuals differed, representing distinct pubertal phenotypes within these populations. Notable trends toward premature development may warrant a low threshold for pediatric endocrinological evaluation in this population. The characterization and description of a pubertal profile for the ASXL-related syndromes can help inform providers and parents when navigating this stage of development. Our study findings also highlight the need for prospective natural history studies to further define the contribution of pubertal development to the ASXL disorders phenotypes.