Increased incidence of precocious and accelerated puberty in females during and after the Italian lockdown for the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Stefano StagiSalvatore De MasiErica BenciniStefania LosiSilvia PaciMaria ParpagnoliFranco RicciDaniele CiofiChiara AzzariPublished in: Italian journal of pediatrics (2020)
Our data show an increased incidence of newly diagnosed CPP and a faster rate of pubertal progression in patients with a previous diagnosis, during and after lockdown compared to previous years. We hypothesize that triggering environmental factors, such as the BMI and the use of electronic devices, were enhanced during lockdown, stressing their possible role in triggering/influencing puberty and its progression. However, more studies are needed to determine which factors were involved and how they interacted.