[Growth and endocrine function in major thalassemia]. / Croissance et fonction endocrine dans la thalassémie majeure.

BACKGROUND: The risk of secondary endocrine dysfunction in patients with thalassemia major remains high, despite improvements in the care of hematologic problems. POPULATION AND METHODS: 31 patients (15 males, 16 females) with thalassemia major were studied. 28 of them had been regularly given blood transfusions since the age of 3.7 +/- 3.6 years. Iron chelation therapy had started before the age of 10 years in 9 patients, after this age in 15 patients; it was not performed or the time not specified in the 7 others. The mean dosage of deferoxamine was 20 +/- 6 mg/kg/day (9.6-34 mg/kg/day). Endocrine functions were evaluated at a mean age of 11.8 +/- 4.9 years and were monitored for 6.1 +/- 4.6 years (0 to 19 years). The hormones assay were: growth hormone (GH), thyroid, adrenal cortex, parathyroid and gonadal functions. RESULTS: The GH peak after stimulation was normal, but plasma somatomedin CIGFI was low and did not increase at puberty. 6 patients had peripheral hypothyroidism. Plasma cortisol was normal in the 16 patients examined, but plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was low in 24; this might be partly responsible for the delayed development of pubic hair. 2 patients aged 20 and 27 years was suffered from diabetes mellitus. Hypoparathyroidism occurred in 7 patients and 12 of the 24 patients with impuberism had a gonadotropin deficiency. The mean final height was -1.3 +/- 1.0 SD in boys (n = 7, mean age: 20 +/- 1 yr) and -1.3 +/- 0.9 SD in girls (n = 7; mean age: 19 +/- 1 yr), whether puberty was spontaneous or induced. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent endocrine complications in these patients are delayed puberty because of gonadotropin deficiency, hypoparathyroidism and peripheral hypothyroidism. Substitution therapy, using sex steroids at an appropriate age, can induce the pubertal growth spurt.

[Role of magnetic resonance imaging in non-neoplastic hypothalamo-hypophyseal pathology]. / Place de l'imagerie par résonance magnétique dans la pathologie hypothalamo-hypophysaire non tumorale.

This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic, therapeutic, and pathogenetic data provided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in nonneoplastic hypothalamo-pituitary disorders. After determination of age-specific pituitary heights, 46 children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (GH peak < 8 ng/ml) were studied. Twenty-nine patients (group I) had pituitary stalk interruption syndrome and 17 (group II) had no anatomic abnormalities. Age-specific pituitary height was decreased by more than 2 SDs in all group I patients versus only 60% (10/17) of group II patients. The GH deficiency was transient in 4 of the 7 children with normal pituitary findings. Forty-seven girls with breast development before eight years of age were also studied: age-specific pituitary height was normal in all girls with premature thelarche and 68% of girls with mild form of central precocious puberty (CPP). Conversely, in 70% of girls with evolutive CPP, age-specific pituitary height was increased by more than 2 SDs. These data show that MRI is useful for the diagnosis of pituitary insufficiency and that multiple anterior pituitary deficiencies can be expected in patients with anatomic abnormalities. MRI is of diagnostic and prognostic usefulness in CPP and, therefore, is of assistance in making therapeutic decisions.

Precocious puberty in girls: pituitary height as an index of hypothalamo-pituitary activation.

The pituitary heights in 47 girls having breast development before 8 yr were measured by magnetic resonance imaging and compared to the normal values for age and to clinical and laboratory data. They were classified into 3 groups: 1) premature thelarche (PT), isolated breast development with plasma estradiol less than 74 pmol/L (8 cases); 2) mild form of central precocious puberty (CPP1) with an LH/FSH peak ratio after the LH-releasing hormone test less than 1 (22 cases); 3) classical form of CPP (CPP2) with an LH/FSH peak ratio greater than 1 (17 cases). All girls with CPP had breast and pubic hair development before 8 yr, accelerated growth velocity, and no intracranial lesion. The mean ages at breast development [7.2 +/- 0.4 (SE), 6.5 +/- 0.4, and 7.2 +/- 0.3 yr] and the mean times between breast development and magnetic resonance imaging evaluation (0.8 +/- 0.1, 0.8 +/- 0.2, and 0.9 +/- 0.1 yr) were similar in the 3 groups. The mean pituitary heights were 4.9 +/- 0.2 in PT, 5.1 +/- 0.2 in CPP1, and 6.2 +/- 0.2 mm in CPP2. They were not significantly different in PT and CPP1 but were significantly greater in CPP2 than in PT (P < 0.001) or CPP1 (P < 0.001). Individual values of pituitary height were compared to those of age-matched girls: they were greater than or equal to mean +/- 2 SD in 8% of PT, 32% of CPP1, and 70% of CPP2. In the CPP group, the pituitary height was correlated with the LH/FSH peak ratio [correlation coefficient (r = 0.52, P < 0.01] and plasma estradiol (r = 0.60, P < 0.01). Four patients with high pituitary height despite LH/FSH peak ratios less than 1 had an increase of their breast development within 1 yr. We conclude that the pituitary height is normal for age in girls with premature thelarche or a mild form of CPP. Conversely, pituitary height is in the pubertal range in girls with the classical form of CPP. Its correlation with LH/FSH peak ratio suggests that pituitary height reflects changes in the degree of hypothalamo-pituitary activation and may provide an indication of its future development. It may therefore help in decisions on LH-releasing hormone analog therapy in certain cases.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency.

Forty-six patients with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency were examined by magnetic resonance imaging at a mean (+/- SEM) age of 9 +/- 1 years (range 15 days to 20 years). They were classified into two groups according to MRI images: group 1 (n = 29) had pituitary stalk interruption syndrome and group 2 (n = 17) had normal pituitary anatomy. All patients with pituitary stalk interruption had a pituitary height at less than -2 SD for age; three had no visible anterior pituitary lobe. By contrast, the pituitary height was less than normal in only 10 patients (60%) with normal pituitary anatomy. Growth hormone deficiency was transient in one of the seven patients with normal pituitary anatomy and height. The group with pituitary stalk interruption had the first symptom of growth hormone deficiency at an earlier age (2.8 +/- 0.6 vs 5.5 +/- 1.2 years; p less than 0.001), were of smaller stature (-4 +/- 0.2 vs -3 +/- 0.2 SD; p less than 0.01) and had lower GH peak response to provocative testing (3 +/- 0.4 vs 5 +/- 0.5 ng/ml; p less than 0.001) than did the group with normal pituitary anatomy. Their pituitary gland was also shorter (2.5 +/- 0.2 vs 3.5 +/- 0.2 mm; p less than 0.01). All the patients with multiple pituitary deficiencies except one (n = 19) belonged to this group. One girl with pituitary stalk interruption and deficiencies in growth hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone had advanced central precocious puberty. We conclude that the evaluation of the shape and height of the pituitary gland by MRI is an additional tool for the diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency. The presence of pituitary stalk interruption confirms this diagnosis and is predictive of multiple anterior pituitary deficiencies. The lack of a significant increase in perinatal abnormalities in this group and the association of pituitary stalk interruption with microphallus and with facial or sella abnormalities suggest that this appearance may have an early antenatal origin. The finding of a familial case of pituitary stalk interruption suggests a genetic origin.

Height of normal pituitary gland as a function of age evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging in children.

MR anatomy of hypothalamo-hypophyseal axis is well established. However data about pituitary gland height (PGH) in children are sparse. A retrospective study was therefore performed in 60 children (30 boys and 30 girls) aged from 8 days to 21 years. All these children had MR for various neurological diseases. Patients with hypothalamo-hypophyseal disease and intracranial hypertension were excluded. The PGH was measured on a strict midline sagittal T1 weighted scan 3 to 7 mm thick. A positive linear correlation was found in children aged from 1 year to puberty followed by a plateau. In the first year of life a negative linear correlation was found. A positive linear correlation was found between PGH and statural height as well.

[Pharmacokinetics of prednisone after oral administration in children with renal grafts. Changes induced by phenobarbital and renal insufficiency]. / Pharmacocinétique de la prednisone après dose orale chez l'enfant greffé rénal. Modifications induites par le phénobarbital et l'insuffisance rénale.

A study of blood and urinary clearance of prednisone after ingestion of a 25 mg/m2 body surface test-dose, at 8 AM, was undertaken in 20 children treated for 18 months with prednisone after renal transplant. Results show important variability between patients: the elimination half life was 2.70 +/- 0.78 hr.; Tmax time to reach Cmax was 2.10 +/- 1.08 hr.; Maximal concentration (Cmax) was 474 +/- 153 ng/ml. With respect to the dose of steroid administered, the urinary excretion of corticosteroids: 17-hydroxycorticosteroids was 12.9 +/- 7.4% and that of unchanged prednisolone 2.8 +/- 3.1%. This level was essentially achieved in the 6 first hours: 55.4 +/- 16.2% for 17-OH steroids and 87.2 +/- 14.3% for prednisolone. Two points emerge from this study: (a) Renal failure slows urinary excretion of prednisone and its metabolites, making a reduction in the doses of corticosteroids necessary at certain doses. (b) The association prednisone-phenobarbital changes the blood kinetics (excretion is faster) without a clear change in 17-OH steroid and prednisolone urinary excretion. It is associated with a decrease in graft tolerance. The kinetic changes do not seem to be the only factors implicated in the decreased therapeutic response.

[Pharmacokinetic elements of sodium valproate. Use in febrile convulsions in children]. / Eléments de pharmacocinétique du valproate de sodium. Application aux convulsions hyperpyrétiques de l'enfant.

A pharmacokinetic study of sodium valproate (DPA) was undertaken in children treated with this drug after a febrile convulsion. In infants, after a single oral dose of 20 mg/kg body weight in the first morning meal, plasma kinetic data were as follows: T max 2.4 hr +/- 1.1; total DPA maximum plasma concentration: 94 micrograms/ml +/- 28; T 1/2: 12.4 hr +/- 4.9; the distribution volume was 0.25 l/kg +2- 0.07 and plasma clearance was 0.014 l/kg/hr +2- 0.004. Control of prolonged treatment showed that the measured plasma concentrations were not correlated with the daily dosage. Furthermore, when febrile convulsions are concerned, one should carefully weight the recently reported hepatic toxicity of DPA, against the usually good prognosis of febrile convulsions.

[Monosomy 7qter (author's transl)]. / Monosomie 7qter.

A de novo terminal del (7)(q35) was found in a 3-month-old girl referred because of a peculiar cry. This observation, with seven others from the literature permit the delineation of a syndrome characterized by severe microcephaly with a flattened occiput, a bulbous nose, a "double chin", and a broad thorax with widely spaced nipples, without internal organ malformations. Assays of Hageman factor (XII) revealed normal values. The proposita is heterozygous Jk (a + b +). The parents and the proposita are iny-1.