Evidence for increased ovarian follicular activity in girls with premature thelarche.

Objective: Inhibin B is produced by granulosa cells in small antral follicles, under the influence of FSH, and has a paracrine role in oestradiol synthesis. To test the hypothesis that premature thelarche is associated with increased FSH-driven follicular development, we measured inhibin B and FSH in girls with premature thelarche, girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) and controls matched either for age or breast stage.

Patients: Blood samples were collected from 11 girls with premature thelarche (breast stage 2, aged 0.