Endocrine Abstracts

Patients with craniopharyngioma suffer from excess mortality and morbidity, especially patients with childhood onset of the disease. The impaired outcome in these patients is in part related to hypothalamic obesity, which is mainly caused by hypothalamic damage. The hypothalamic damage seems to result in autonomic nervous system dysfunction as well as leptin and insulin resistance. These factors negatively affect food intake, food satisfaction, metabolism and energy expenditure. In ‘common’ obesity, bariatric surgery has been shown to be highly effective. Therefore, bariatric surgery has been proposed as a therapeutic option in patients with craniopharyngioma and hypothalamic obesity. Multiple aspects need to be considered in obese patients with craniopharyngioma. For example, will bariatric surgery in patients with hypothalamic obesity lead to similar results to those found in patients with ‘common’ obesity and, also, will the surgery and/or the weight loss have a significant effect on hormonal replacement therapy? The talk will review the effects of bariatric surgery in patients with craniopharyngioma. Furthermore, the results of the latest collaborative study, between Erasmus University and Gothenburg University will be presented. In this study, eight patients with craniopharyngioma received bariatric surgery and was compared to closely matched patients receiving the same type of surgery for ‘common’ obesity. The craniopharyngioma patients were followed for 2 years regarding effects on body weight, hormonal replacement therapy and side effects.