Copenhagen Puberty Study III - COPUS - EDMARC

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The Copenhagen Puberty Study III - COPUS
September 2022 -
Background
The COPENHAGEN Puberty Study (COPUS) is an ongoing number of combined cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of healthy Danish children. Our current knowledge on growth and pubertal development in Danish children suggests a trend toward earlier pubertal onset. That knowledge is based on data collected approximately 20 years ago as part of COPUS I and II and we do not know if this disturbing trend has continued. For that reason, the objective of this updated version of the study is to determine the average age of pubertal onset and whether this has continued to decline in Denmark.

Aims and Study Design
The overall aim of this study is to describe changes in growth and pubertal development among normal children and adolescents. We will recruit a normal population of 3000 school children with the following specific aims:
  • assess whether age at onset of puberty is decreasing compared to previous data
  • update existing Danish normal growth curves and references for pubertal development
  • investigate the importance of the pre-pubertal growth pattern in relation to the time of onset of puberty and course.
  • investigate if the concentrations of certain chemicals with known hormone-like effects are associated with the time of onset of puberty
  • investigate the importance of the selected genetic data, hormones and growth factors of pubertal development.
 
Data Collection
We have initiated the recruitment of 3,000 children from randomly selected schools in the Copenhagen Area. The included children go through a thorough clinical examination with focus on growth parameters and pubertal staging, they will fill out an electronic questionnaire and deliver a urine sample and have a blood sample drawn (see Figure).
     
Anders Juul
DMSc, Professor
Principal Investigator
Stine Agergaard Holmboe
MSci, PhD
Project Manager
Several young researchers and Ph.D-students are also involved in the study
Main Sponsors
Kirsten and Freddy Johansens Foundation

Center on Endocrine Disruptors - CEHOS


EDMaRC
Dept. of Growth and Reproduction
Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet
Blegdamsvej 9
DK-2100 Copenhagen Denmark
edmarc.rigshospitalet@regionh.dk

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