Pediatric Hypopituitarism Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Joel W Steelman, MD; Chief Editor: Stephen Kemp, MD, PhD   more...
 
Updated: Jul 14, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of hypopituitarism include the following:

  • Delayed puberty
  • Psychosocial deprivation
  • Hyposomatotropism
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Neonatal jaundice

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Joel W Steelman, MD  Endocrine Consultant, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Cook Children's Medical Center

Joel W Steelman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, Endocrine Society, and Pediatric Endocrine Society

Disclosure: Pfizer Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Specialty Editor Board

Phyllis W Speiser, MD  Chief, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York; Professor of Pediatrics, Hofstra-North Shore LIJ School of Medicine at Hofstra University

Phyllis W Speiser, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Endocrine Society, Pediatric Endocrine Society, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

George P Chrousos, MD, FAAP, MACP, MACE, FRCP(London)  Professor and Chair, First Department of Pediatrics, Athens University Medical School, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, Greece; UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, University of Athens, Greece

George P Chrousos, MD, FAAP, MACP, MACE, FRCP(London) is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Endocrinology, American College of Physicians, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Clinical Investigation, Association of American Physicians, Endocrine Society, Pediatric Endocrine Society, and Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Stephen Kemp, MD, PhD  Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Arkansas Children's Hospital

Stephen Kemp, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Pediatric Society, Endocrine Society, Phi Beta Kappa, Southern Medical Association, and Southern Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgments

I want to thank Simon Rhodes, PhD and Stephen Shalet, MD for kindly allowing me to republish illustrations from their work.

References

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The left photograph shows an untreated 21-month-old girl with congenital hypopituitarism. The right panel depicts the same child aged 29 months, following 8 months of growth hormone therapy.
Regulation of the development of the mammalian anterior pituitary gland by transcription factors. Following, inductive signals between the developing diencephalon and the oral ectoderm, early transcription factors guide the formation of rudimentary Rathke's Pouch (rRP) and then subsequent gene regulatory pathways control the determination, proliferation, and differentiation events that establish the specialized hormone-secreting cells. AP = anterior pituitary, IP = intermediate pituitary, PP = posterior pituitary. Modified by S. Rhodes from Mullen, R.D., Colvin, S.C., Hunter, C.H., Savage, J.J., Walvoord, E.C., Bhangoo, A.P.S., Ten, T., Weigel, J., Pfäffle, R.W., and Rhodes, S.J. (2007). Roles of the LHX3 and LHX4 LIM-homeodomain factors in pituitary development. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol., 265-266: 190-195.
Summary of Neuroendocrine Dysfunction following radiotherapy (courtesy of Stephen M Shalet, MD)
 
 
 
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