Histopathological features of the skin in hypopituitarism and Laron-type dwarfism

Skin biopsies from children and adolescents with various syndromes of somatomedin deficiency revealed changes in structure and in distribution of the dermal elastin fibers as compared with a group of seven healthy control subjects. In 18 patients with isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) and in 11 with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD), the number of elastin fibers was reduced; the individual fibers were shorter and slimmer than usual, and frequently arranged in groups dispersed in various directions. Skin biopsies from six patients with Laron-type dwarfism (LTD) revealed mostly thickened elastin fibers, frequently arranged in irregular bundles, but the number of elastin fibers was normal in prepubertal patients and reduced only in postpubertal patients. The reduction of elastin fibers in these patients was less prominent than in IGHD. The finding of more numerous elastin fibers in LTD than in IGHD is suggestive of a direct nonsomatomedin-mediated effect of human growth hormone on skin elastogenesis.