Gender difference in breast tissue size in infancy:: Correlation with serum estradiol
Gender difference in breast tissue size in infancy:: Correlation with serum estradiol
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DOI：
10.1203/01.pdr.0000032071.90497.50
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发表时间：
2002-11-01
影响因子：
3.6
通讯作者：
Main, KM
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Schmidt, IM;Chellakooty, M;Main, KM
新生儿的乳房组织被认为是生理性的，主要与子宫内暴露于母体激素或通过母乳喂养有关。然而，关于婴儿期后期乳房组织是否受到内源性激素的影响，存在争议。2-4个月大的孩子会产生大量的生殖激素，包括雌二醇，这可能会影响乳腺。在一项对1126名3岁健康婴儿的前瞻性队列研究中，测量了乳房组织大小和生殖激素。我们发现可触及的乳腺组织（直径大于或等于3mm）是78.9%的儿童常见的生理状况，女孩比男孩更常见（p < 0.001）和更大（p < 0.001）。女孩的中位雌二醇水平明显高于男孩（30.0比21.0 pmol/L, p < 0.001）。在多元回归模型中，以乳房组织大小为四分位数作为因变量，以胎龄体重、肩胛下皮肤折叠、3月龄体重和血清雌二醇为自变量，显示出性别差异。在女孩中，雌二醇水平与乳房四分位数呈正相关（p < 0.03）。在男孩中，没有发现相关性。婴儿期乳腺的刺激是否代表了一个发育窗口期，对成年期乳腺发育和病理具有生物学意义，仍有待确定。
Breast tissue in newborn infants is considered to be physiologic and mainly related to exposure to maternal hormones in utero or through breast-feeding. However, controversy exists as to whether breast tissue in later infancy is under the influence of endogenous hormones. Children at 2-4 mo of age have a surge of reproductive hormones, including estradiol, which may affect the mammary gland. In a prospective cohort study of 1126 healthy, 3-mo-old infants, breast tissue size and reproductive hormones were measured. We found that palpable breast tissue (diameter greater than or equal to3 mm) is a common physiologic condition present in 78.9% of children, significantly more frequent (p < 0.001) and larger (p < 0.001) in girls than in boys. Girls had significantly higher median estradiol levels than boys (30.0 versus 21.0 pmol/L, p < 0.001). In a Multiple regression model including breast tissue size given as quartiles as the dependent variable and weight for gestational age, subscapular skinfold, weight at 3 mo of a-e and serum estradiol as independent variables, a gender difference was shown. In girls, the estradiol level was positively (p < 0.03) correlated to breast quartile. In boys, no correlations were found. Whether the stimulation of the mammary gland in infancy represents a developmental window that is of biologic significance for breast development and pathology in adulthood remains to be defined.