Incidence and Outcomes of Pituitary Microadenomas in Children with Short Stature/Growth Hormone Deficiency.
Horm Res Paediatr
; 90(3): 151-160, 2018.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30261514
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS:
Patients with short stature (SS)/growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and precocious puberty (PP) undergo brain MRI to evaluate for structural brain abnormalities or pituitary lesions, and pituitary microadenomas are a common finding. Theoretically, a mass effect from these lesions could cause GHD and growth hormone treatment could cause them to enlarge, but they should not cause PP, at least in females.METHODS:
We investigated if pituitary microadenomas cause GHD by comparing their incidence in patients with SS/GHD to that in females with PP. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with these disorders who had a brain MRI between 2000 and 2013.RESULTS:
The incidence of microadenoma was high in both groups, 18.5% for SS (n = 346) and 21.1% for PP females (n = 194), but did not differ between groups (p = 0.46). In patients with microadenomas, repeat imaging showed resolution in 58% (SS, n = 33) and 67% (PP females, n = 21). Importantly, none of the lesions grew, even in patients treated with growth hormone.CONCLUSIONS:
Pituitary microadenomas are common in children with GHD/SS and PP, but it does not appear that they are a cause of GHD. They appear to be of limited clinical significance and should not be considered a contraindication to growth hormone therapy.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pituitary Neoplasms
/
Adenoma
/
Human Growth Hormone
/
Dwarfism, Pituitary
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Incidence_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Horm Res Paediatr
Journal subject:
ENDOCRINOLOGIA
/
PEDIATRIA
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article