Background: Septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) is a rare condition with variable clinical pictures and spectrum of findings.
Objective: To analyze the spectrum of findings, frequency and age of onset of hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunctions in children with SOD.
Method: A retrospective electronic medical record (EMR) chart review was done for patients with SOD seen in a tertiary care center's pediatric endocrinology clinic between January 1, 2012, and March 31, 2014. The diagnostic criteria for SOD included presence of ≥ 2 of the following: (i) optic nerve hypoplasia, (ii) agenesis/hypoplasia of septum pellucidum and/or corpus callosum and (iii) hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction.
Results: Eighty patients fitting the diagnostic criteria of SOD were included in this study. The majority of patients (96%) had optic nerve hypoplasia on magnetic resonance imaging and were diagnosed due to visual issues including nystagmus (36%) or strabismus (13.8%). Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction was most common (51%) when optic nerve hypoplasia was present with (36%) or without (15%) dysgenesis of septum pellucidum and/or corpus callosum compared to dysgenesis of septum pellucidum and/or corpus callosum alone (4%). Hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction was noted in 55% of patients, and most (86%) were diagnosed ≤ 2 years of age. Central hypothyroidism and growth hormone deficiency were most common followed by secondary/tertiary adrenal insufficiency and diabetes insipidus.
Conclusions: The risk of hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction in SOD is highest ≤ 2 years of age and when both optic nerve hypoplasia and dysgenesis of septum pellucidum/corpus callosum are present, suggesting a need for more frequent follow-up and screening tests for hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction in these patients.