[Pituitary hyperplasia secondary to primary hypothyroidism in children: report of 8 cases]. 2010

Ai-Jing Xu, and Tang Li
Department of Pediatrics, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, China.

OBJECTIVE To study the changes in hormone levels and the therapy of pituitary hyperplasia secondary to primary hypothyroidism in children. METHODS The clinical data of 8 children with pituitary hyperplasia secondary to primary hypothyroidism (5 girls and 3 boys) at ages of 5 to 9 years were studied retrospectively. All of the children had a short stature. They were followed up 1 to 6 years. RESULTS The thyroid hormone levels decreased and the serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin (PRL) levels increased in the 8 children. After 2 to 6 months thyroxine replacement therapy, the levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and serum TSH and PRL returned to normal, and the pituitary enlargement regressed to normal in the 8 children. Of them, 6 children's height growth rate increased significantly from 3.1+/-0.5 cm per year to 11.6+/-1.7 cm per year (p<0.01). The other 2 cases had low growth rate and then received additional recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy. Their height growth rate increased by 11 cm per year. Pituitary hyperplasia did not recur in the 8 children during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The thyroid function and pituitary examinations are necessary for children with a short stature. Thyroxine substitution therapy appears to be effective for primary hypothyroidism secondary to pituitary hyperplasia. rhGH replacement therapy after regression of the pituitary enlargement can result in a satisfactory height growth in children with low thyroid hormone levels and growth hormone deficiency.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006965 Hyperplasia An increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ without tumor formation. It differs from HYPERTROPHY, which is an increase in bulk without an increase in the number of cells. Hyperplasias
D007037 Hypothyroidism A syndrome that results from abnormally low secretion of THYROID HORMONES from the THYROID GLAND, leading to a decrease in BASAL METABOLIC RATE. In its most severe form, there is accumulation of MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES in the SKIN and EDEMA, known as MYXEDEMA. It may be primary or secondary due to other pituitary disease, or hypothalamic dysfunction. Central Hypothyroidism,Primary Hypothyroidism,Secondary Hypothyroidism,TSH Deficiency,Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Deficiency,Central Hypothyroidisms,Deficiency, TSH,Deficiency, Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone,Hormone Deficiency, Thyroid-Stimulating,Hypothyroidism, Central,Hypothyroidism, Primary,Hypothyroidism, Secondary,Hypothyroidisms,Primary Hypothyroidisms,Secondary Hypothyroidisms,TSH Deficiencies,Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Deficiency,Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone Deficiencies
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D008297 Male Males
D010902 Pituitary Gland A small, unpaired gland situated in the SELLA TURCICA. It is connected to the HYPOTHALAMUS by a short stalk which is called the INFUNDIBULUM. Hypophysis,Hypothalamus, Infundibular,Infundibular Stalk,Infundibular Stem,Infundibulum (Hypophysis),Infundibulum, Hypophyseal,Pituitary Stalk,Hypophyseal Infundibulum,Hypophyseal Stalk,Hypophysis Cerebri,Infundibulum,Cerebri, Hypophysis,Cerebrus, Hypophysis,Gland, Pituitary,Glands, Pituitary,Hypophyseal Stalks,Hypophyses,Hypophysis Cerebrus,Infundibular Hypothalamus,Infundibular Stalks,Infundibulums,Pituitary Glands,Pituitary Stalks,Stalk, Hypophyseal,Stalk, Infundibular,Stalks, Hypophyseal,Stalks, Infundibular
D001827 Body Height The distance from the sole to the crown of the head with body standing on a flat surface and fully extended. Body Heights,Height, Body,Heights, Body
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005260 Female Females
D005500 Follow-Up Studies Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease. Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup

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