Skip to main content
Log in

Primary gonadal failure and precocious adrenarche in a boy with Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome

  • Case Reports
  • Published:
European Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A 7-year-old boy with Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome who had precocious adrenarche was found to have primary gonadal failure, as evidenced by appropriate laboratory investigations: elevated basal levels of plasma FSH and LH with exaggerated responses to LH-RH stimulation and unresponsiveness of plasma testosterone to repeated hCG stimulations. The elevated values of plasma DHEA which were found indicate an early activation of the adrenal gland. This patient demonstrates the varibility of pubertal development in the Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome, with the unusual association of primary gonadal failure and precocious adrenarche.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dickerman Z, Prager-Lewin R, Laron Z (1976) Response of plasma LH and FSH to synthetic LH-RH in normal boys and girls at various pubertal stages. Am J Dis Child 130:634–638

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Endo M, Tasaka Y, Matsuura N, Matsuda I (1976) Laurence-Moon-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome in a single family. Eur J Pediatr 123: 269–276

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Greulich WW, Pyle SL (1959) Radiographic atlas of skeletal development of hand and wirst, 2nd ed Stanford University Press, Stanford, California

    Google Scholar 

  4. Hamilton CR, Scully RE, Kliman B (1972) Hypogonadotropism in Prader-Willi syndrome. Am J Med 52:322–329

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Jeffcoate WJ, Laurance BM, Edwards RW, Besser GM (1980) Endocrine function in the Prader-Willi syndrome. Clin Endocrinol 12:81–89

    Google Scholar 

  6. Korth-Schutz S, Levine LS, New MI (1976) Serum androgens in normal prepubertal and pubertal children and in children with precocious adrenarche. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 42:117–124

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Katcher ML, Bargman G, Gilbert EF, Opitz JM (1977) Absence of spermatogonia in the Prader-Willi syndrome. Eur J Pediatr 124:257–260

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Kauli R, Prager-Lewin R, Laron Z (1978) Pubertal development in the Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome. Acta Paediatr Scand 67:763–767

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Laurance BM (1967) Hypotonia, mental retardation, obesity and cryptorchidism associated with dwarfism and diabetes in children. Arch Dis Child 42:126–139

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. McGuffin WL, Rogol AD (1975) Response to LH-RH and clomiphene citrate in two women with the Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 41:325–331

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Michel G, Chaussain JL, Job JC (1976) Les explorations endocriniennes dans le syndrome de Prader-Labhart et Willi. Arch Fr Pediatr 33:467–476

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Prader A., Labhart A, Willi H (1956) Ein Syndrom von Adipositas, Kleinwuchs, Kryptochismus und Oligophrenie nach myatonieartigem Zustand im Neugeborenenalter. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 86:1260–1261

    Google Scholar 

  13. Reiter EO, Kaplan SL, Conte FA, Grumbach MM (1975) Responsivity of pituitary gonadotropes to luteinizing hormone-releasing factor in idiopathic precocious puberty, precocious thelarche, precocious adrenarche, and in patients treated with medroxyprogestrone acetate. Pediatr Res 9:111–116

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Schonfeld WA (1943) Primary and secondary sexual characteristics: Study of their development in males from birth through maturity, with biometric study of penis and testes. Am J Dis Child 65:535–549

    Google Scholar 

  15. Seyler LE, Arulanantham K, O'Connor CF (1979) Hypergonadotropic-hypogonadism in the Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome. J Pediatr 94:435–437

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Smith DW (1976) Recognizable patterns of human malformation, 2nd edn. WB Saunders, Philadelphia London Toronto, p 350

    Google Scholar 

  17. Tanner JM (1962) Growth et atolescence, 2nd edn. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  18. Tolis G, Lewis W, Verdy M, Friesen HG, Solomon S, Pagalis G, Pavlatos, F, Fessas PH, Rochefort JG (1974) Anterior pituitary function in the Prader-Labhart-Willi (PLW) syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 39:1061–1066

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wannarachue N, Ruvalcaba HA, Kelley V (1975) Hypogonadism in Prader-Willi syndrome. Am J Ment Defic 79:592–603

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Zarate A, Soria J, Canales ES, Kastin AJ, Schally AV, Toledano RG (1973/1974) Pituitary response to synthetic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone in Prader-Willi syndrome, prepubertal and pubertal children. Neuroendocrinology 13:321–326

    Google Scholar 

  21. Zellweger H, Schneider HJ (1968) Syndrome of hypotonia-hypomentia-hypogonadism-obesity (HHHO) or Prader-Willi syndrome. Am J Dis Child 115: 588–598

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Garty, B., Shuper, A., Mimouni, M. et al. Primary gonadal failure and precocious adrenarche in a boy with Prader-Labhart-Willi syndrome. Eur J Pediatr 139, 201–203 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01377358

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01377358

Key words

Navigation