Insulin and growth hormone secretion in a leukaemic girl with hypothalamic syndrome

The authors report a girl with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia presenting hypothalamic syndrome characterized by meningeal leukaemia, hyperphagia and obesity. Insulin and growth hormone secretion, studied with arginine and insulin stimulation tests, showed a high peak of serum insulin and no response of growth hormone. Insulin and growth hormone responses to these tests reverted to normal after intrathecal methotrexate.