Long-Term Outcomes of Untreated Micropenis: Growth Patterns and Predictive Factors

Abstract

Background Micropenis, defined as a penile length more than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean for age and population, presents significant concerns for patients and parents. Despite current guidelines recommending multidisciplinary management, there is limited evidence on long-term outcomes, particularly in untreated patients.

Methods This retrospective cohort study involved 46 male children aged 7 to 9 years presenting with micropenis at the Ali Asghar Endocrine Clinic from 2015 to 2023. Initial penile size, BMI, and other growth parameters were measured, with biannual follow-ups extending three years post-bone fusion to evaluate growth rates and influential factors.

Results Initial mean stretched penile length (SPL) was 3.22 ± 0.21 cm. Significant increases in penile size were observed across all intervals, with the highest growth rates occurring between the first- and second-years post-fusion. BMI emerged as the most significant predictor of penile growth, while initial SPL was the least influential factor. By the third-year post-fusion, all subjects achieved penile lengths within the normal range.

Conclusion Our findings indicate that most untreated micropenis patients attain normal penile size by adulthood, highlighting the importance of monitoring growth rates rather than focusing solely on initial penile size. This study provides critical insights for developing guidelines and management strategies for micropenis, emphasizing the necessity of continued follow-up to ensure optimal outcomes.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

This study did not receive any funding.

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

The protocol for this study was reviewed and approved by the Ethical Institutional Review Board of Iran University of Medical Sciences (approval number: 05-2024-155).

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

Yes

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

Yes

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Yes

Data Availability

All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors.

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