The 3α-androstanediol glucuronide (3AG) plasma levels have been correlated with the clinical hyperandrogenic activity in adults. In the prepubertal age, the role of 3AG has not yet been clarified. We studied 25 girls, 15 from these had precocious pubarche (PP), with chronological age (CA) of 7,4±0.9yr and the onset of symptoms between 3-7yr and 10 normal prepubertal control group, CA 6,3± 1,8yr of age. We evaluated in the PP: the Tanner puberal stage; the bone (BA) and estatural (EA) ages; the bone mass index (BMI); the plasma levels of 3AG; androgens (testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate - SDHEA) and 17- hydroxyprogesterone (basal and/or after ACTH- with the aim to rule out the non-classical forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. We compared the EA, the BMI and the serum levels of 3AG and SDHEA, between the PP and the control group (C). In the PP, we found: 93% of the cases with pubic hair between Tanner stage II-III; none signs of breast development or systemic virilization were found, the BA of 8.1±1yr - with an advance (> 2SD) in one case: androgens levels were high in (one or more) in 93% of the cases. The EA(7,9± 1,1 vs 7,6±1,9yr, p=0.97) and the BMI (16.7±2.8 vs 16.5±0,5kg/m2,p=0,73) were similar between the PP and C. The 3AG levels (1,31±1,07 vs 0.71±0.62 ng/ml. p<0.02) and the SDHEA(0.81±0.59 vs 0.25±0.19μg/ml. p<0.01) were higher in the PP than in the C patients. The proportion of cases with 3AG and SDHEA increased (>2SD) also were higher in the PP than the C group (p<0.01 and p<0.005. respectively). These data suggests that a rise in the 3AG levels may reflect an increase in the androgen activity, as a result of an increased secretion of adrenal androgens, that happens in children due to a precocious adrenarche.
