Treatment of hypopituitarism in infancy. Effect on head circumference growth.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Head circumference of children with multiple pituitary-hormone deficiency (MPHD) may be subnormal for age. Moreover it is known that linear growth in infancy is growth-hormone (GH) dependent. Therefore, aim of the study has been to compare head circumference measurements in children with hypopituitarism after L-thyroxine (L-T4) therapy alone, before therapy with GH, and after GH was added to the therapy.

METHODS:

Five infants (2 girls, 3 boys) with MPHD, diagnosed and treated before the age of 2 years and whose auxological parameters records during L-T4 therapy alone were available, were retrospectively studied. Head circumference and length measurements were expressed as standard deviation score (SDS). Weight measurements were expressed as weight for length ratio percentage.

RESULTS:

Initially treated with L-T4 alone for a mean period of 4, 5 months, there were neither positive effects on head circumference nor on linear growth. A significant catch-up growth was observed only employing GH therapy in addition to L-T4: mean head circumference SDS and length SDS increased respectively from -2.20 to -0.89 SDS and from -4.16 to -0.87 SDS after a mean period of 18 months of combined GH and L-T4 therapy.

CONCLUSIONS:

Therefore, head circumference growth, in infancy, is growth hormone dependent as well as linear growth, and during GH treatment, monitoring head circumference growth is important as much as monitoring linear growth.

• Authors: S Di Maio, M Salerno, N Gasparini, T Fusco, L Pisaturo, G Valerio
• Journal: Minerva endocrinologica (Minerva Endocrinol) 1999 Sep-Dec Vol. 24 Issue 3-4 Pg. 103-6 ISSN: 0391-1977 [Print] Italy
• PMID: 10953724 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Human Growth Hormone
• Thyroxine

Topics

• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Head (growth & development)
• Human Growth Hormone (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Hypopituitarism (drug therapy)
• Infant
• Male
• Retrospective Studies
• Thyroxine (therapeutic use)