A super long-acting LH-RH analogue induces regression of hypothalamic hamartoma associated with precocious puberty.
We treated a 1-year-old female with a hypothalamic hamartoma and precocious puberty with leuprolide acetate depot, a super long-acting hormone-releasing hormone analogue (Tap-144-SR; [D-Leu6-[des-Gly10-NH2] LH-RH ethylamide acetate). The infant's major symptoms were genital bleeding and gynaecomastia. The LH-RH analogue (30 micrograms/kg) was injected subcutaneously once every 4 weeks. Clinical and laboratory manifestations of precocious puberty showed marked improvement. A follow-up after 16 months of treatment, the size of the tumour decreased significantly and remained unchanged for 2 years of further follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first hypothalamic hamartoma case in whom a decrease of tumour size under treatment with LH-RH analogue has been documented. But, because diagnosis of hamartoma is only based on neuroradiological and not on histological examinations, the possibility of a gangliocytoma cannot be excluded with certainty.
Harada
K
K
Department of Neurosurgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yoshida
J
J
Wakabayashi
T
T
Okabe
H
H
Sugita
K
K
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007027:Hypothalamic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D007223:Infant; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011629:Puberty, Precocious / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide