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There is a growing concern over the timing of pubertal breast development and its possible association with exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is abundantly used to harden plastics. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between premature thelarche (PT) and BPA by comparing the urinary BPA levels of PT girls with those of healthy subjects. Twenty-five newly diagnosed nonobese PT subjects (aged 4-8 years) who were admitted to the Pediatric Endocrinology Department at Akdeniz University were recruited. The control group composed of 25 age-matched girls without PT and other endocrine disorders. Urinary BPA levels were measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. The median urinary concentrations of BPA were found to be significantly higher in the PT group compared to the healthy control group (3.2 vs. 1.62 mg/g creatinine, p < 0.05). We observed a weak positive correlation between uterus volume and urinary BPA levels. There was a weak correlation between estradiol and urinary BPA levels (r < 0.166; p < 0.37); and luteinizing hormone and urinary BPA levels (r < 0.291; p < 0.08) of PT girls. Our results suggest that exposure to BPA might be one of the underlying factors of early breast development in prepubertal girls and EDCs may be considered as one of the etiological factors in the development of PT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to evaluate prospectively, in our diabetic patients, the impacts of a summer camp and intensive insulin treatment (IIT) on both metabolic control and disease-related educational level. Twenty-five patients participated in a 7-day-long summer camp. Before the camp, all patients were on therapy with short-acting human insulin (SAI) and intermediate-acting insulin (IAI) twice daily. On arrival, their insulin therapy regimen was changed by IIT including either SAI or rapid-acting insulin analogue (RAI) three times before meals supplemented by IAI at bedtime. Following the camp, all participants were given IIT with RAI plus IAI. Frequency of hypoglycaemia, insulin dose, body mass index (BMI) and glycohaemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were assessed at pre-camp and post-camp controls. To evaluate the effectiveness of camp-assisted education, all participants were regularly tested. We observed significant elevations in total daily dose of insulin and BMI at months 3 and 6 when compared with the pre-camp values but, by month 12, they were not significantly different from precamp values. The mean HbA1c level decreased significantly at months 6 and 12. Severe hypoglycaemic episodes and ketoacidosis were not detected during the camp and the following year. Significant improvements in knowledge about diabetes and self-management were determined at the end of the camp, after 6 and 12 months. Camp-assisted IIT with RAI improved metabolic control of diabetic children. Additionally, camp-assisted education has a positive effect on disease-related educational level and self-management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]