Pituitary deficiency and precocious puberty after childhood severe traumatic brain injury: a long-term follow-up prospective study.

Objectives Childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a public health issue. Our objectives were to determine the prevalence of permanent pituitary hormone deficiency and to detect the emergence of other pituitary dysfunctions or central precocious puberty several years after severe TBI. Design Follow-up at least 5 years post severe TBI of a prospective longitudinal study. Patients Overall, 66/87 children, who had endocrine evaluation 1 year post severe TBI, were included (24 with pituitary dysfunction 1 year post TBI). Main outcome measures In all children, the pituitary hormones basal levels were assessed at least 5 years post TBI. Growth hormone (GH) stimulation tests were performed 3-4 years post TBI in children with GH deficiency (GHD) 1 year post TBI and in all children with low height velocity (<-1 DS) or low IGF-1 (<-2 DS). Central precocious puberty (CPP) was confirmed by GnRH stimulation test. Results Overall, 61/66 children were followed up 7 (5-10) years post TBI (median; (range)); 17/61 children had GHD 1 year post TBI, and GHD was confirmed in 5/17 patients. For one boy, with normal pituitary function 1 year post TBI, GHD was diagnosed 6.5 years post TBI. 4/61 patients developed CPP, 5.7 (2.4-6.1) years post-TBI. Having a pituitary dysfunction 1 year post TBI was significantly associated with pituitary dysfunction or CPP more than 5 years post TBI. Conclusion Severe TBI in childhood can lead to permanent pituitary dysfunction; GHD and CPP may appear after many years. We recommend systematic hormonal assessment in children 1 year after severe TBI and a prolonged monitoring of growth and pubertal maturation. Recommendations should be elaborated for the families and treating physicians.

11p15 ICR1 Partial Deletions Associated with IGF2/H19 DMR Hypomethylation and Silver-Russell Syndrome.

The 11p15 region harbors the IGF2/H19 imprinted domain, implicated in fetal and postnatal growth. Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS) is characterized by fetal and postnatal growth failure, and is caused principally by hypomethylation of the 11p15 imprinting control region 1 (ICR1). However, the mechanisms leading to ICR1 hypomethylation remain unknown. Maternally inherited genetic defects affecting the ICR1 domain have been associated with ICR1 hypermethylation and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (an overgrowth syndrome, the clinical and molecular mirror of SRS), and paternal deletions of IGF2 enhancers have been detected in four SRS patients. However, no paternal deletions of ICR1 have ever been associated with hypomethylation of the IGF2/H19 domain in SRS. We screened for new genetic defects within the ICR1 in a cohort of 234 SRS patients with hypomethylated IGF2/H19 domain. We report deletions close to the boundaries of ICR1 on the paternal allele in one familial and two sporadic cases of SRS with ICR1 hypomethylation. These deletions are associated with hypomethylation of the remaining CBS, and decreased IGF2 expression. These results suggest that these regions are most likely required to maintain methylation after fertilization. We estimate these anomalies to occur in about 1% of SRS cases with ICR1 hypomethylation.

Prevalence of pituitary dysfunction after severe traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents: a large prospective study.

CONTEXT: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in childhood is a major public health issue. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the prevalence of pituitary dysfunction in children and adolescents after severe TBI and to identify any potential predictive factors. DESIGN: This was a prospective longitudinal study. SETTING: The study was conducted at a university hospital. PATIENTS: Patients, hospitalized for severe accidental or inflicted TBI, were included. The endocrine assessment was performed between 6 and 18 months after the injury. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Basal and dynamic tests of pituitary function were performed in all patients and GH dynamic testing was repeated in patients with low stimulated GH peak (<7 ng/mL). The diagnosis of proven severe GH deficiency (GHD) was based on the association of two GH peaks less than 5 ng/mL on both occasions of testing and IGF-I levels below -2 SD score. Initial cranial tomography or magnetic resonance imaging was analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: We studied 87 children and adolescents [60 males, median age 6.7 y (range 0.8-15.2)] 9.5 ± 3.4 months after the TBI (73 accidental, 14 inflicted). The second GH peak, assessed 4.9 ± 0.1 months after the first evaluation, remained low in 27 children and adolescents. Fifteen patients had a GH peak less than 5 ng/mL (mean IGF-I SD score -1.3 ± 1.5) and five (5.7%) strict criteria for severe GHD. Two children had mild central hypothyroidism and one had ACTH deficiency. We did not find any predictive factors associated with existence of GHD (demographic characteristics, growth velocity, trauma severity, and radiological parameters). CONCLUSION: At 1 year after the severe TBI, pituitary dysfunction was found in 8% of our study sample. We recommend systematic hormonal assessment in children and adolescents 12 months after a severe TBI and prolonged clinical endocrine follow-up.

Clinical features and treatment of pediatric somatotropinoma: case study of an aggressive tumor due to a new AIP mutation and extensive literature review.

CONTEXT: Pediatric somatotropinoma is uncommon but usually more aggressive than in adults, creating therapeutic challenges. No treatment guidelines are available. OBJECTIVES: To describe the features of pediatric somatotropinomas and to assess therapeutic strategies based on an extensive literature review. DESIGN: We describe a pediatric case of aggressive somatotropinoma with an AIP mutation. We identified 137 pediatric somatotropinoma cases published between 1981 and 2010, and found 41 cases with AIP mutations in the main review. RESULTS: We found a slight male preponderance (59%). Median age was 9 years at symptom onset and 14 years at diagnosis. Macroadenomas accounted for 90% of the tumors; 2/3 of the children had hyperprolactinemia at diagnosis. The first-line treatment was pharmacotherapy in one third and surgery in 2/3 of the patients. Pegvisomant was used in 7 patients and produced significant improvement in 4. The male preponderance was higher in the subgroup with AIP mutations. Mutations leading to severe protein abnormalities were more common than reported in adults. CONCLUSION: Higher invasiveness and tumor volume in pediatric somatotropinomas require complex treatment combinations, which produce variable results. Pegvisomant is an effective drug whose usefulness in children remains to be determined. Genetic screening, particularly for AIP mutations, should be performed routinely.