Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Craniopharyngioma (CP) are the most common sellar tumors in children. Patients often develop excessive weight gain and obesity due to several factors as involvement or damage of the hypothalamus. Previous studies on the weight development in craniopharyngioma patients have shown an increase in weight before and in the first 10 years after diagnosis leading to an impaired quality of life. The long-term weight development in these patients has not been investigated till now.

Methods: In a retrospective study, we analysed the weight development of 108 craniopharyngioma patients who were diagnosed before 2001. Data from physical examinations, anthropometric measurements and the patient’s records were used, as well as a questionnaire answered by the patients in 2011 on their current weight and psychosocial status. The BMI of CP patients at diagnosis, 8–12 years after diagnosis, during long-term follow-up and at the time they answered the questionnaire was analysed and factors were investigated for their effect on the weight development.

Results: Long-term survivors of CP were assessed at a median age of 26.1 years (range 14.8–42.7) after a median follow-up of 17.01 years (range 8.81–33.40) after CP diagnosis. All patients show an increase in BMI during the first 10 years after diagnosis, as previously published. However, during long-term follow-up (more than 12 years after diagnosis) no further weight increase is seen. Patients with hypothalamic involvement of CP develop a higher initial weight increase, but also a stabilisation of BMI as well. Patients with a normal BMI at diagnosis (−2 to +2 S.D.) show the highest weight increase during the first 10 years after diagnosis, whereas patients presenting with obesity at diagnosis (BMI >3 S.D.) show a smaller increase in BMI–SDS during long-term follow-up.

Conclusion: We conclude that the degree of obesity in CP reaches a certain plateau during long-term follow-up.