title: Diabetes insipidus and increased serum levels of leptin and lactate-dehydrogenase (LDH) in an adolescent boy with a primary intracranial germinoma. Case report and an endocrinological revaluation of literature.
abstract: A 16-year-old boy presented with a four-month history of polyuria-polydipsia and a diplopia which had reverted after treatment. The neuroimaging studies performed had been strongly suggestive of an optic nerve glioma, while endocrinological investigation (beta-hCG 420 IU/L) has lead to the correct diagnosis later confirmed at the immunohystochemical analysis performed at biopsy. The high serum level of hCG was unaffected by bromocriptine nor octreotide, while the PRL level (80.0 microg/L) was reduced only by bromocriptine. Among the several tumor markers which may be secreted by such lesions, ours is the first reported case of an elevation of serum LDH for a primary intracranial germinoma. Moreover, the elevated value of serum leptin reported by us might be due to the insensitivity of the hypothalamic structures to endogenous leptin.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Endocrinologia, II University of Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rotondi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Buono
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sinisi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Del Basso De Caro
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vizioli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sorvillo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazziotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bellastella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood; D003919:Diabetes Insipidus / Q000209:etiology*; D018237:Germinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood*; D020738:Leptin; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
chemical_list: D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D020738:Leptin; D011506:Proteins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D001971:Bromocriptine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase