title: [Etiology and associations of pituitary dwarfism. Study of a series of 135 cases].
abstract: Among 135 consecutive cases of hypopituitary dwarfism, 42 related to detectable intracranial tumour or defect. In 13 cases the tumour had been previously operated and/or irradiated. In 29 others the defect was suggested by neurological abnormalities or headache, skull radiographs, ocular examination or by associated post-hypophyseal deficiency and was demonstrated by pneumoencephalography. When none of these associated abnormalities was found, pneumoencephalography failed to demonstrate any intracranial lesion. Among the 93 so-called idiopathic cases there was a large majority of males (60/93) with a history of birth difficulties (34/60) and especially of breech delivery (23/60). TSH, FSH/LH and ACTH deficiencies were associated to GH deficiency in 81% of patients with detectable intracranial lesions, 57% of male and 39% of female idiopathic cases. The number of patients with idiopathic isolated GH deficiency was similar in boys and girls, suggesting in them the hypothesis of a recessive autosomic genetic defect in spite of the scarcity of familial cases. Peculiar clinical associations may contribute to the diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000209:etiology*; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000150:complications*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin
vernacular_title: Etiologie et associations du nanisme hypophysaire. Etude d'une serie de 135 cas.