[Clinical symptoms at the diagnosis of the craniopharyngioma].

Introduction: Craniopharyngioma can cause neurological, ophthalmological and endocrine signs and symptoms.
Aim of the Study: Retrospective analysis of symptoms accompanying diagnosis of craniopharyngioma in children.
Material and Methods: 10 children and adolescents, 3.75-14.08 years old, median 8.96, treated in our centre in the years 1992-2010, with diagnosis of craniopharyngioma, were included into the study. In the analysis clinical symptoms at the moment of diagnosis, before surgery treatment were taken into consideration. Data from medical histories, physical examination, auxological data, biochemical and hormonal parameters were analyzed.
Results: Among 10 patients, 9 had headaches, 4 had experienced vomiting, 2 had symptoms of cranial hypertension, 6 had vision disorders, 8 had endocrine disorders. A decrease of growth rate was observed in 5 children (among 7 with previous anthropometric data), diabetes insipidus in 2, gain of body weight and delayed puberty in 1, and secondary hypothyroidism in 1 patient. Endocrine disorders appeared on average 13 months before diagnosis of craniopharyngioma. Among them the earliest was the decrease of growth rate - on average 23 months before the diagnosis, and the latest diabetes insipidus - 2 months before it. The most frequent symptom - headaches appeared 2 months before the diagnosis.
Conclusions: 1. Endocrine symptoms are early symptoms of craniopharyngioma, which usually appear before neurological, and ophthalmological disorders. 2. Craniopharyngioma may be a cause of growth disorders in children and adolescents, therefore a detailed analysis of height data on growth charts in pediatric patients is very important for the diagnosis.