Hyperprolactinemia in children: clinical features and long-term results

Abstract

Hyperprolactinemia is a rare endocrine disorder in childhood, which may result from hypophyseal adenoma. We aimed to review the etiologic reasons and clinical features in hyperprolactinemia patients retrospectively. The mean age of 11 female patients at diagnosis was 14.2 +/- 1.3 years. Five patients had microadenoma, four patients had macroadenoma, and two patients were diagnosed with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia. The most frequent symptoms were menstrual disorders, headache, and galactorrhea, and one-third of the patients had obesity at diagnosis. There was no anterior pituitary hormone deficiency. All patients received bromocriptine as initial therapy; only two patients with macroadenoma and one patient with microadenoma were switched to cabergoline. Transsphenoidal surgery was performed for a patient with macroadenoma, who had cavernous sinus invasion and visual field defect. Medical treatment should be the first-line treatment option in both microadenoma and macroadenoma cases without any neurological signs. Surgery should be employed with limited indications.