ESPE Abstracts

Background: Pituitary gland imaging is conventionally done after the diagnosis of growth hormone (GH) deficiency was established, to ascertain the cause of GH deficiency.

Objective and hypotheses: We aimed to determine the differantial diagnostic value of pituitary volume (PV) on GH deficiency, and effect of PV on responses to GH therapy.

Method: This retrospective study was conducted on 102 growth hormone deficient (GHD) patients (52 females, 50 males), treated and/or being treated with GH in respect of the current guidelines and 43 non GHD short children (17 female, 26 male). The patients’ data was collected from medical records. Other pituitary hormones had been evaluated. Patients with any other pituitary hormone deficiency, history/clinical evidence of any chronic diseases, or other endocrine abnormalities, genetic syndrome, prematurity/small for gestational age birth, head injury, craniospinal irradiation were excluded. Patients were also divided into two groups according to pubertal status. PV was calculated according to formula: (height×width×length)×0.52.

Results: There were no significant differences in age at the time of diagnosis, female/male ratio, puberty distribution, birth weight between two groups. None of the participants had any structural pituitary abnormalities. PV of non GHD short children was greater than GHD patients (P=0.009). PV was also greater in pubertal GHD and non GHD short children (P=0.002) than prepubertal patients. PV was significantly correlated with age, bone age, IGF1 SDS, peak GH values (r=0.26 P=0.007, r=0.28 P=0.004, r=0.32 P=0.001, r=0.24 P=0.015, respectively). However there was no correlation between PV and changes in the height SDS increase in GHD children under GH therapy (P>0.05).

Conclusion: This study emphasizes the differential diagnostic value of PV on GHD, but no prognostic value of PV on response to GH therapy.