Pituitary size and function in children and adolescents with shunted hydrocephalus

OBJECTIVE Most previous reports of endocrine disorders in children with shunted hydrocephalus have been case reports and there is a lack of systematic information on pituitary anatomy and function among these children. We have obtained these data in a large group of individuals with shunted hydrocephalus. DESIGN A controlled cross‐sectional study. PATIENTS Fifty‐four children and adolescents with shunted hydrocephalus were studied for pituitary anatomy and function. They had 54 age‐ and sex‐matched controls (group I). The mean age of the patients and controls was 12.6 years and the mean shunting period 10.6 years. There was a second control group (II) for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a third control group (III) for the radiography of the sella turcica. MEASUREMENTS The anatomy was visualized by MRI of the pituitary gland and by radiography of the sella turcica. The functional evaluation included an arginine–insulin test and a combined stimulation test with corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), GnRH and TRH. RESULTS The patients were shorter (height 148.4 cm vs 153.7 cm, P