ACUTE GLAUCOMA AND INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION IN A CHILD ON LONG-TERM PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS TREATED WITH GROWTH-HORMONE

A 7-year-old boy with end-stage renal disease on long-term peritoneal dialysis is described. The child developed intracranial hypertension a nd acute glaucoma during therapy with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), 18 months after the onset of treatment, Symptoms developed wi thin 1.5 days and required neurosurgical treatment to reduce the intra cranial hypertension because of imminent impaction of the cerebellum a nd brain stem. After ventricular cerebrospinal fluid drainage and cess ation of growth hormone, all symptoms of intracranial hypertension and increased intraocular pressure disappeared. To our knowledge this is the first report of intracranial hypertension or hydrocephalus and acu te glaucoma during rhGH therapy. Continuous and long-term control of t he ophthalmological and neurological status of patients treated with r hGh is indicated.