Constitutionally tall stature with morphological abnormality of the pituitary gland

Endocr J. 2004 Apr;51(2):189-95. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.51.189.

Abstract

We describe two male pubertal cases of constitutionally tall stature (CTS) with an enlarged pituitary gland or pituitary microadenoma. Both patients' basal serum growth hormone (GH) levels were normal. Neither had oversecretion of any other pituitary hormones. However, their serum GH levels were paradoxically increased in response to an intravenous administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). A later GH response to an intravenous administration of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) was also found in one patient. In addition, oral glucose loading (OGL) caused a late increase in serum GH at 180 min in both patients. Our present findings suggest that endocrinological and morphological abnormalities of the pituitary gland are found in some subjects with CTS during puberty. It is speculated that these paradoxical GH responses are associated with dysregulation of GH secretion. Finally, it is important to investigate whether tall children with morphological abnormalities of the pituitary gland such as our patients are preacromegalic, in which case, given that overproduction of GH secretion may occur in the future, further observation is necessary.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / diagnosis
  • Adenoma / pathology*
  • Administration, Oral
  • Adolescent
  • Body Height*
  • Child
  • Glucose / administration & dosage
  • Glucose / pharmacology
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Human Growth Hormone / blood
  • Humans
  • Hyperplasia
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Pituitary Gland / pathology*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Puberty
  • Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Human Growth Hormone
  • Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
  • Glucose