Serum DHEAS concentrations in relation to pubic hair development

A rise in DHEAS levels at approximately 6 years of age is the major indicator of adrenarche. The upper limit for boys rises above that of girls during the late prepubertal years. Older (peripubertal and pubertal) groups are subcategorized by pubic hair developmental stages. Among children with premature pubarche, some have premature adrenarche with high serum DHEAS concentrations for age (circles) and others have premature adrenarche with above-average DHEAS concentrations for age (diamonds). Serum DHEAS concentrations are also shown for boys over 10 years of age who have pubarche before gonadarche (small rectangles); similar concentrations are often not associated with pubarche in normal subjects (pubertal stage I).