title: A hypopituitary patient who attained tall stature without growth hormone.
abstract: We describe an unusual patient with hypopituitarism who attained tall stature even without growth hormone (GH). A 37-year-old man was devoid of secondary sexual characteristics, but manifested tall stature with a eunuchoidal feature. Serum levels of GH, insulin-like growth factor-I, gonadotropins and testosterone were all below normal. GH secretion was not enhanced by any provocative stimulus. Adrenocorticotropic hormone increased after administration of corticotropin releasing hormone, but not after insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Thyrotropin increased in response to thyrotropin releasing hormone, but both free T3 and T4 did not rise. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed a transected pituitary stalk. The present patient had hypopituitarism due to perinatal problems but had grown with the aid of non-GH growth-promoting factors, which suggests that man may be able to achieve statural growth even without GH.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Aomori.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanobe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nasushita
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishie
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Horiba
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005058:Eunuchism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000097:blood; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D006062:Gonadotropins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone