Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2014) 35 P890 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.35.P890

ECE2014 Poster Presentations Pituitary Clinical (<emphasis role="italic">Generously supported by IPSEN</emphasis>) (108 abstracts)

Analysis of metabolic alterations within the normal appearing brain in children with GH deficiency: MR spectroscopy and hormonal correlation

Joanna Bladowska 1 , Teresa Zak 2 , Anna Zacharzewska 1, , Tomasz Maciej Gondek 1, , Anna Banaszek 1, , Anna Noczynska 2 & Marek Sęsiadek 1


1Department of General Radiology, Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland; 2Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology for Children and Adolescents Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland; 3Students’ Scientific Group at Department of General Radiology, Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.


Purpose: The pathogenesis of idiopathic GH deficiency (GHD) in children, including possible cerebral metabolic alterations, remains unclear. The aim of the study was to evaluate the metabolic changes within the normal appearing brain in children with GHD using MR spectroscopy (MRS) and to correlate MRS measurements with hormonal concentrations.

Materials and methods: 71 children with GHD (mean age 6.9 years) and 11 healthy controls (mean age 8.4 years) were enrolled in the study. The MRS examinations were performed on 1.5T scanner. Voxels were located in the posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG) and the left parietal white matter (PWM). The NAA:Cr, Cho:Cr and mI:Cr ratios were analyzed in both groups. There were also evaluated correlations between the metabolite ratios and hormonal concentrations: GH in two stimulation tests and GH during the night, as well as IGF1 and IGFBP3 levels.

Results: There was statistically significant (P<0.05) decrease of the NAA/Cr ratios in PCG and PWM in children with GHD compared to the normal subjects. Other metabolite ratios showed no significant differences. We found also statistically significant positive correlations between NAA/Cr ratio in PWM and IGFBP3 level, as well as GH concentration in stimulation test with glucagon.

Conclusion: The reduction of NAA/Cr ratios may suggest loss of neuronal activity within normal appearing grey and white matters in children with GHD, thus MRS could be sensitive biomarker of cerebral metabolic disturbances associated with GHD and additional indicator for therapy with recombinant GH.

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