Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Premature Adrenarche from 1974 to 2024

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Premature adrenarche (PA) is a clinical condition marked by early activation of adrenal androgens prior to puberty.Once regarded as a benign developmental variant, PA is now linked to long-term health risks such as metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and type 2 diabetes.This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scientific literature on PA published between 1974 and 2024. MATERIALS AND METHODS:This descriptive bibliometric analysis included 445 publications indexed in the Scopus database under the search term "PA".Publications were categorized by type, discipline, country, and institution.VOS viewer software was used to map keyword cooccurrence and citation networks to identify research trends and influential works.RESULTS: Of all publications, 68.08% were original articles, 18.42% were reviews, and the remainder were book chapters or conference proceedings.The United States led with 186 publications, while Kuopio University Hospital emerged as the most prolific institution.The most frequently used keywords included "human," "child," and "adrenarche," with "DHEAS" and "androgen" reflecting growing biochemical focus.The most-cited publication was a position statement addressing PCOS. CONCLUSION:Although there has been a notable rise in PA-related research over the last five decades, key gaps remain, particularly concerning diagnostic standardization, long-term outcomes, and underrepresentation of developing countries.Interdisciplinary approaches, harmonized diagnostic protocols, and the integration of advanced technologies will be critical to improve research quality and clinical care.This bibliometric analysis offers a valuable roadmap for future research in this evolving domain of pediatric endocrinology.