[Clinical symptoms in 35 children and adolescents with craniopharyngeoma at the time of diagnosis].
OBJECTIVE
Hormonal deficiencies, visual disturbances, or cerebral symptoms are often the symptoms through which craniopharyngiomas (CP) first become clinically manifest. As these symptoms can exist for a long period of time various specialists are often consulted before the final diagnosis is made.


METHODS
Between the years 1970 and 1998, 37 children and adolescents with CP were treated in Erlangen. The documents of 35 patients (22 male, 13 female) were evaluated retrospectively.


RESULTS
The median age of the children at diagnosis was 9,3 years (1,3 - 15,6 years). The most frequently documented symptoms were: headache 57 % (median duration 7 months; varying from 1 week to 6 years), visual disturbances 45 % (median duration 2 months, range 2 weeks to 10 years), and reduced growth 40 % (median duration 1 year, range 3 months to 5 years). On average the reported symptoms were present for 15 months (median 5 months, time span 1 week to 10 years).


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical symptoms of CP are non-specific and highly varied. Endocrine disturbances are the primary objective finding. Correct interpretation of the symptoms are required for the early diagnosis of CP.
Rohrer
T
T
Klinik mit Poliklinik für Kinder und Jugendliche der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.
Gassmann
K
K
Buchfelder
M
M
Wenzel
D
D
Fahlbusch
R
R
Dörr
H G
HG
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010901:Pituitary Function Tests; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology