Evaluation of Hypothalamic and Pituitary Disorders

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health & Human Development

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Pediatric sellar and suprasellar disorders are associated with high morbidity related to hormone dysregulation, mass effects and post-surgical complications. Patients with pituitary tumors suffer from severe complications especially when hormone excess is involved. Over the last more than 5 years I have been involved in extensive investigation of the manifestations of patients with pituitary tumors, especially those associated with hypercortisolemia. This population provides a model for the effects of excessive glucocorticoid exposure for the general population. Several publications and ongoing studies provide information on the clinical presentation of these patients, their course of disease, identification of risk factors for future morbidity and treatment options. Over last year our research focus has been in phenotyping patients with sellar/suprasellar lesions beyond hormone levels and identifying new biomarkers for disease diagnosis, presentation and complications and in planning new therapeutic treatments. Under our research protocols we have continued to evaluate patients with rare pituitary tumors and to collect biospeciments for future laboratory evaluation of potential biomarkers.