Spontaneous resolution of pituitary apoplexy in a giant boy under 10 years old

Pituitary gigantism is a very rare condition; the occurrence of pituitary apoplexy in children younger than 10 years old is even rarer. The aim of our study is to report this exceptional association.

A boy aged 9 years and 6 months was hospitalized for the first time in November 2011 for symptoms suggesting pituitary apoplexy. The onset of his disease was difficult to determine as his health record has been poorly maintained. On October 10, 2011, he presented to an emergency department with a sudden drop of visual acuity with diplopia and retro-orbital headaches. An ophthalmological exam found very low visual acuity (1/20) with papillary edema. An MRI of the patient's brain revealed a hemorrhagic pituitary process reaching the chiasma, which was compressed, especially on the right side. Thereafter, the patient's vision improved spontaneously. Clinical examination was normal except for gigantism (+5 SD compared to the target stature). Hormonal assessment argued for mixed secretion [growth hormone (GH) = 39 ng/mL, n ≤ 5, prolactin ( PRL) = 470 ng/mL, n < 15]. Other pituitary functions were normal. Visual acuity normalized after 2 months, and an MRI showed a spontaneous reduction of the pituitary tumor.

This unusual observation is a model of symptomatic pituitary apoplexy with spontaneous resolution in a boy with pituitary gigantism: phenomenon quite exceptional and worth to be reported.