A survey on treatment satisfaction with leuprorelin acetate in girls with central precocious puberty.

Abstract

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is often treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs to manage compromised adult height and psychological distress. In Japan, only monthly formulations are available, and the perceived burden and satisfaction associated with long-term treatment have not been well described. We conducted a retrospective questionnaire survey among 78 girls with CPP who received leuprorelin acetate between 2012 and 2018. Patients and caregivers were asked about reasons for treatment initiation, perceived burden, and satisfaction with height-related and psychological outcomes. Thirty-six (46%) participants completed the questionnaire. Although treatment was initiated at a mean age of 8.86 yr, when the height benefit was limited, improving final height was the most common reason for treatment initiation. Despite monthly injections over an average of 3 yr, 63.9% of the respondents reported no treatment burden. Satisfaction was high, with 72% of the participants satisfied with the height-related outcomes and 74% satisfied with the psychological outcomes. A greater absolute height at the time of the questionnaire was correlated with higher satisfaction in both domains. These findings do not imply that GnRH treatment improves final height. Instead, patients and caregivers reported high satisfaction despite the limited objective height benefits, underscoring the importance of thorough counseling, expectation management, and individualized decision making in CPP management.