Relação entre a ginecomastia puberal e o índice de massa corporal

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between pubertal gynaecomastia and body mass index (BMI) for age. Methods: This was a cross sectional study carried out at Pedro Ernesto University Hospital (PEUH) in Rio de Janeiro city, since 2003 to 2006, enrolling 143 adolescents, recruited from the adolescent outpatient health unit (NESA). The final sample of 109 cases was selected, with ages between 11 and 19 years, after detailed medical history and complete physical exam demonstrating pubertal gynecomastia. Patients in use of any medication, illicit drugs, or with hypogonadism were excluded. Anthropometric measures of weight, height, mammary horizontal diameter and sexual maturation stage were documented. The analysis of the BMI for age was based on the recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO). The 85th and 95th percentiles were used to assess overweight and obesity. The significance level was < 0.005. Results: The percentage of adolescents with overweight and obesity was 50.4%. The median mammary diameters increased from 1.5 ± 1 cm to 4.86 ± 2.2 cm, with statistically significant correlation to BMI for age 5th to 95th centiles (Pearson = 0.59). Conclusions: The study confirmed that pubertal gynaecomastia is associated with a high higher BMI, and demonstrated increasing diameters in accordance with excessive weight gain.