Growth hormone replacement safe in children with small sellar cysts
Most small pituitary cysts found on pediatric brain MRIs do not require surgery and do not appear to be significantly enlarged due to growth hormone replacement (GHR), according to a study.
Small pituitary cysts are often found in patients with growth hormone deficiency (GHD).
In this retrospective review, 101 children ≤19 years of age were found to have brain cysts after undergoing MRIs, of which 25 had confirmed GHD. Those with GHD had a higher mean age compared to those who did not (11.2 vs 8.4 years).
Compared to patients without GHD, mean cyst volume in patients with GHD was not significantly smaller.
A total of 21 patients with GHD who received GHR had follow-up MRIs. Pituitary cyst size did not change in 10 patients, shrunk in 2 patients, disappeared in 7 patients, and enlarged in 2 patients. No patients on GHR needed surgical intervention.
Reference
Sheldon BL, O’Brien MW, Adamo MA. Growth hormone replacement therapy: is it safe to use in children with asymptomatic pituitary lesions? J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2021;doi: 10.1515/jpem-2021-0479. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34407327.
