Pituitary gigantism causing diabetic ketoacidosis

Although growth hormone excess (acromegaly) in association with glucose int olerance and diabetes mellitus is well documented in adult medicine, it is much less common in the paediatric age group. We report the case of a 13 ye ar-old boy who presented with tall stature secondary to a large growth horm one secreting adenoma of the pituitary gland. Random growth hormone was 630 mIU/l and did not suppress during an oral glucose tolerance test. Followin g debulking of the tumour, he developed diabetic ketoacidosis requiring ins ulin treatment, but after further surgery glucose handling returned to norm al. He has been started on testosterone to arrest further increase in heigh t.