title: Prader-Willi syndrome, diabetes mellitus and hypogonadism.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus is not a diagnostic criterion for Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), but it is often found in PWS patients. The etiology for diabetes mellitus in PWS may be related to the morbid obesity and consequent insulin resistance, because a decrease of oxytocin neurons and leptin resistance in PWS may cause hyperphagia, inducing obesity. However, treatment with growth hormone (GH) is beneficial for the majority of GH-deficient PWS children, because relative decreased fat mass and increased fat-free mass could prevent obesity and concomitant insulin resistance. Hypogonadism is thought to be due to hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism in a majority of PWS patients. Hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism secondary to cryptorchidism and its treatment is shown in other cases. Low luteinizing hormone and high follicle-stimulating hormone levels in PWS cases in young men with idiopathic oligospermia or in the early stages of puberty is less frequently reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Public Tomioka General Hospital, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000209:etiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000209:etiology; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone