Premature adrenarche

What it means

Onset of adrenarche at an earlier age than usual.

Adrenarche is an early sexual maturation stage that typically occurs at around 6 to 8 years of age, during which the adrenal cortex begins to secrete increased levels of androgens resulting from the development of the zona reticularis in the adrenal cortex. Note that pubarche refers to the development of pubic hair, axillary hair, and adult sweat gland (apocrine) odor. The physical features associated with pubarche reflect the onset of adrenarche, which refers to the pubertal maturation of the adrenal and is associated with increased secretion of an adrenal hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). {xref="PMID:10414639"}

Rare diseases that can present with this14

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category