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Incidental Pituitary Cysts in Children: Does Growth Hormone Treatment Affect Cyst Size?

Katelin Baird1, Justin McCroskey1, Anastasia Arynchyna1

  • 1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.

Endocrine Practice : Official Journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
|May 9, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study found that growth hormone (GH) treatment does not cause pituitary cysts to grow in children. Pituitary cyst size remained stable or decreased in patients receiving GH therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Incidental pituitary cysts are found in children undergoing MRI scans.
  • The effect of growth hormone (GH) therapy on these cysts is not well understood.
  • Understanding cyst behavior is crucial for managing pediatric endocrine disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of growth hormone (GH) treatment on incidentally discovered pituitary cysts in children.
  • To determine if GH therapy influences the size or growth of pituitary cysts.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of children with pituitary cysts identified via MRI over a 5-year period.
  • Comparison of children receiving GH treatment versus those not receiving GH therapy.
  • Analysis of cyst size changes on follow-up MRI scans.

Main Results:

  • 109 children with pituitary cysts were identified; 24 received GH treatment.
  • Among 12 patients on GH with follow-up MRI, 6 showed no change in cyst size and 6 showed a decrease.
  • No significant difference in cyst growth was observed between children who received GH and those who did not.

Conclusions:

  • This retrospective study found no evidence that growth hormone (GH) therapy causes pituitary cysts to grow in children.
  • Pituitary cysts appear to be unaffected by GH treatment in terms of growth.
  • Further research may be warranted to confirm these findings in larger cohorts.
Abstract

Keywords:
Rathke cleft cystgrowth hormone deficiencygrowth hormone treatmentpars intermedia cystpituitary cyst

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