ESPE Abstracts

Background: The diagnostic use of IGF-1 in children suspected of GHD is based on the assumption that a single determination of this parameter reflects the integrated 24-h GH secretion. IGF-1 levels are low in GHD, but a study found a significantly lower sensitivity in children with organic lesions in the brain.

Objective: The aim of this study was to check if there is a statistically significant relation between IGF-1 values in children with GHD with and without pituitary morphological abnormalities.

Method: The study was carried out at a Pediatric Endocrinology Center and it used a sample of 125 patients diagnosed with GHD. It was analyzed the IGF-1 SD values and the presence, or not, of pituitary morphological abnormalities. It was taken under consideration gender and the relation between H-SDS and age at the moment of diagnosis, inside each group of children. The medical imaging exams used for pituitary analysis where Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and/or Computed Tomography (CT-Scan) when available.

Results: Were analyzed 70 male, 39 (31.2%) presented pituitary abnormalities. There is no difference between IGF-1 SD and morphological pituitary changes, when considering level of IGF-1 values <0 SD. Although when analyzed IGF-1 value <−2 SD the number of patients with morphological pituitary abnormalities were significantly higher than the patients without pituitary abnormalities (P<0.05). The relation between H-SDS and age at the moment of diagnosis according IGF-1 <0SD and <−2 SD not presented significant difference in the group with and without pituitary abnormalities.

Conclusion: According this study patients with IgF-1 <−2 SD showed abnormalities in the pituitary gland.