A pediatric case of pituitary macroadenoma presenting with pituitary apoplexy and cranial nerve involvement: case report

Consensus guideline for the diagnosis and management of pituitary adenomas in childhood and adolescence: Part 1, general recommendations

Tumours of the anterior part of the pituitary gland represent just 1% of all childhood (aged <15 years) intracranial neoplasms, yet they can confer high morbidity and little evidence and guidance is in place for their management. Between 2014 and 2022, a multidisciplinary expert group systematically developed the first comprehensive clinical practice consensus guideline for children and young people under the age 19 years (hereafter referred to as CYP) presenting with a suspected pituitary adenoma to inform specialist care and improve health outcomes. Through robust literature searches and a Delphi consensus exercise with an international Delphi consensus panel of experts, the available scientific evidence and expert opinions were consolidated into 74 recommendations. Part 1 of this consensus guideline includes 17 pragmatic management recommendations related to clinical care, neuroimaging, visual assessment, histopathology, genetics, pituitary surgery and radiotherapy. While in many aspects the care for CYP is similar to that of adults, key differences exist, particularly in aetiology and presentation. CYP with suspected pituitary adenomas require careful clinical examination, appropriate hormonal work-up, dedicated pituitary imaging and visual assessment. Consideration should be given to the potential for syndromic disease and genetic assessment. Multidisciplinary discussion at both the local and national levels can be key for management. Surgery should be performed in specialist centres. The collection of outcome data on novel modalities of medical treatment, surgical intervention and radiotherapy is essential for optimal future treatment.

Comparative analysis of pituitary adenoma with and without apoplexy in pediatric and adolescent patients: a clinical series of 80 patients

Pituitary adenomas (PAs) have a low incidence in pediatric and adolescent patients, and their clinical characteristics remain unclear. As a severe complication of PA, apoplexy was investigated in young patients in the present study. Eighty patients younger than 20 years with PAs who underwent surgery were included and divided into an apoplexy group and non-apoplexy group. The clinical data of these two groups were statistically analyzed and compared. The study included 33 boys and 47 girls, with a mean age of 16.9 years. There were six (7.5%) adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting, 13 (16.3%) growth hormone-secreting, 47 (58.7%) prolactin-secreting, and 14 (17.5%) non-functioning PAs. There were 34 (42.5%) patients in the apoplexy group and 46 (57.5%) patients in the non-apoplexy group. Pre-operatively, patients in the apoplexy group were more likely to have visual impairment (hazard ratio: 2.841, 95% confidence interval: 1.073-7.519; P = 0.033) and had poorer visual impairment scores than those in the non-apoplexy group (P = 0.027). Furthermore, a longer duration of symptoms before surgery was significantly correlated with a poorer visual outcome in the apoplexy group (R =  - 1.204; P = 0.035). However, apoplexy was not associated with tumor type, tumor size, resection rate, or tumor recurrence. Tumor apoplexy is common in pediatric and adolescent patients with PAs and is associated with more severe preoperative visual deficits. Hence, the appropriate timing of surgical treatment may be important for rescuing visual function in young PA patients.

Clinical manifestations, evaluation and management of hyperprolactinemia in adolescent and young girls: a brief review

Hyperprolactinemia (HPrl) is considered as a rare endocrinopathy in childhood. In children and adolescent girls, there are three major categories of HPrl causes; physiological, pathological and iatrogenic. Through hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, prolactin hypersecretion and production leads to the typical functional syndrome which is observed in female children and adolescents; delayed puberty, primary or secondary amenorrhea and/or galactorrhea. Regarding prolactinomas, clinical signs manifest with mass compression of the optic chiasm and anterior pituitary gland or prolactin hypersecretion. Targeted identification of HPrl is of significant importance for proper management and follow-up. The aim of this review is to focus on the evaluation of HPrl in adolescent and young girls. In addition, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge regarding the proper management of such cases. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Pituitary tumour apoplexy within prolactinomas in children: a more aggressive condition?

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate clinical presentations, diagnosis and management of paediatric patients presenting with pituitary apoplexy.

METHODS

A retrospective case series describing a cohort of paediatric patients presenting with this condition from 2010-2016 to a tertiary referral children's hospital in the United Kingdom.

RESULTS

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare condition that seems to have a higher relative incidence in children than adults. Our series suggests that pituitary apoplexy in paediatric patients with adenomas appears more common than previously described. All our patients required surgery, either as an acute or delayed procedure, for visual compromise. Two patients had commenced growth hormone (GH) for GH deficiency two weeks prior to the onset of pituitary apoplexy.

CONCLUSIONS

With only a limited number of published case reports surrounding this topic our case series contributes to help further understand and manage this condition.

Pituitary Adenoma Apoplexy in an Adolescent: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

We present a 13-year-old boy who was admitted with complaints of a state of progressive sleepiness and a sudden headache with vomiting and fever. Laboratory testing showed hypoglycemia, multiple pituitary hormonal deficiencies, and an elevated C-reactive protein level. A cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an opaque sphenoid sinus and an intrasellar mass suggesting hemorrhage, so that we suspected pituitary apoplexy (PA) originating from a non-functioning adenoma, although a pituitary abscess could not completely be excluded. The boy was treated with antibiotics, hydrocortisone, and levothyroxine. Due to his rapid clinical improvement, no surgery was performed and we considered the diagnosis of PA as confirmed. At follow-up, the MRI scan showed a small residual lesion. Pituitary deficiencies of growth hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone, and vasopressin persisted. A literature search of all well-documented cases of PA in children or adolescents (n=30, 13 boys and 17 girls) indicated that this condition is rare below 20 years of age but must be considered when a patient experiences headache with or without visual disturbances, even in the presence of clinical and laboratory signals suggestive of pituitary abscess. MRI neuroimaging is helpful in the differential diagnosis. In both conditions, the possibility of ACTH deficiency should always be considered, investigated, and treated. In cases without severe neuro-ophthalmological deficits and/or with a rapid and positive response to acute medical management, one can abstain from surgical treatment.