Growth hormone hypersecretion in a girl with McCune-Albright syndrome: comparison with controls and response to a dose of long-acting somatostatin analog

GH every 20 min for 24 h, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein 3, and estradiol (E2) were measured in a 7.3-yr-old girl with precocious puberty due to McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) who developed stigmata of early acromegaly and in 9 other MAS patients who had no signs of acromegaly. To determine whether the MAS patients had subtle abnormalities in GH secretion, a computerized pulse analysis program was used to compare the MAS data with those from 27 control girls with central precocious puberty who had a similar rate of bone age advance, E2, and body mass index. We found no differences in mean GH, GH pulse frequency, pulse height, or pulse area between MAS patients and controls except in patient 1, who had an elevated mean +/- SD GH compared with controls (15.4 +/- 2 vs. 4.8 +/- 2.3 micrograms/L; P < 0.01) and an elevated IGF-I (908 micrograms/L) and IGF-binding protein 3 (5.6 mg/L). None of the GH parameters correlated with body mass index, age, bone age, or E2 levels in either group. The serum GH in patient 1 fell to near-undetectable levels from 60-180 min after a 100-micrograms sc dose of long-acting somatostatin, confirming that this form of therapy can be effective in cases of GH hypersecretion due to MAS.

Metabolic changes in osteoclasts isolated from children with fibrous dysplasia

Children with fibrous dysplasia have specific areas of local bony overgrowth. The in vitro metabolism of osteoclasts obtained from involved disease areas of two patients with idiopathic monostotic fibrous dysplasia and one patient with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia were compared with osteoclasts isolated from noninvolved bone in the same individuals and normal controls. The osteoclasts from the involved regions formed similar resorption lacunae compared with osteoclasts isolated from both normal and noninvolved bone. Calcium release into the media, a function of cell-mediated resorption, was decreased in involved osteoclasts compared with osteoclasts derived from normal or noninvolved bone (p < 0.05). Osteoclasts from regions of in vivo abnormal growth exhibited normal mineral metabolism in vitro.

In vitro production of estradiol by ovarian granulosa cells in a case of McCune-Albright syndrome

A 14-year-old girl presented with classic McCune-Albright syndrome. She underwent the ablation of several cysts during a laparotomy performed on the basis of persistent and intense pelvic pain and recurrent episodes of menometrorrhagia not responsive to pharmacologic therapy. Granulosa cells obtained from an isolated follicle and a cyst were cultured and estradiol (E2) secreted in the culture medium measured. Granulosa cells, obtained from the follicle, produced much higher levels of estradiol compared to those of cells coming both from follicles of equivalent size and preovulatory follicles of normal patients. Secretion of E2 by granulosa cells from the cyst was comparable to that of normal preovulatory follicles. We conclude that in this patient, ovaries are hyperfunctioning in terms of E2 production. This high production of estradiol and the fact that several cysts were found in the ovaries can justify the high levels of estradiol found in the serum of this patient at the moment of the operation.

[Type I pseudohypoparathyroidism. Study and prolonged follow-up of a case]

The prolonged evolution of a case of pseudohypoparathyroidism with hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) and osteitis fibrosa is presented. The diagnosis was confirmed by the existence of a peculiar phenotype, hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphatemia, increased PTH values, and a lack of tubular response after PTH and radiological signs of hyperparathyroidism. The clinical and biochemical evolution, under 1.25 (OH)2D3 therapy with special emphasis on the growth and development were shown. The bibliography was also reviewed.

Positive gallium-67 citrate uptake in a patient with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia

Fibrous dysplasia is an uncommon bone condition with characteristic radiologic features. It is well known that there is increased uptake of Tc-99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (HMDP) and methylene diphosphonate (MDP) in fibrous dysplasia. There are no reports of uptake of Ga-67 citrate by fibrous dysplasia. A case is reported in which positive Ga-67 uptake was seen in a patient with polyostotic fibrous dysplasia.