Characteristics of paediatric hypopituitarism patients in Latvia: a single-centre 25-year retrospective study

Introduction
Hypopituitarism is a chronic disease characterized by partial or complete absence of secretion of one or more pituitary hormones. Delayed diagnosis can have serious consequences during the neonatal period and adulthood.

Material and methods
A retrospective study was conducted on patients who had started treatment in the Children's Clinical University Hospital from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2020. In total 243 patients were included; they were divided into 3 subgroups: isolated growth hormone deficiency, multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, and panhypopituitarism.

Results
The prevalence of hypopituitarism in Latvia is about 45 cases per 100,000 live births. The average detection age of abnormal growth in Latvia is 8 years and 3 months. Most cases had isolated growth hormone deficiency, at 67.1% (n = 163), followed by cases of multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, at 26.3% (n = 64), and cases of panhypopituitarism, at 6.6% (n = 16). Abnormalities in MRI were found in 44.7% (n = 101) of patients. The most best therapeutic effect was achieved in the first year of treatment: with growth of an average of 9.3 cm (+0.1 SD) for isolated growth hormone deficiency, 9.0 cm (+0.6 SD) for multiple pituitary hormone deficiency, and 11.7 cm (+1SD) for patients with panhypopituitarism.

Conclusions
It is important to increase awareness and promote early diagnosis for hypopituitarism patients in Latvia and in Europe. More attention should be paid to education about growth restriction problems to parents, caregivers, and other specialists. The treatment should be adjusted individually with the focus not only on physical and mental health but also on safety and treatment costs.