[Implication in Paediatrics of the First International Consensus Statement for the Diagnosis and management of pseudohypoparathyroidism and related disorders]

Abstract

Since Albright and co-workers described pseudohypoparathyroidism in 1942 as the combined presence of hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphataemia associated with the existence of tissue resistance to parathyroid hormone (PTH) action upon normal renal function, great advances have been made in the clinical and genetic profile of patients affected by this condition. Furthermore, not only have genetic bases of pseudohypoparathyroidism been unravelled, but also variants in other genes involved in the PTH/PTHrP signalling pathway through Gsα, have been identified as the cause of diseases that share clinical features with pseudohypoparathyroidism. In the paediatric setting, the first symptoms suggesting the impairment of this signalling pathway are the presence of subcutaneous ossifications, brachydactyly and/or early onset obesity, followed by the possible development of PTH resistance. This clinical suspicion should be confirmed by an accurate molecular diagnosis to allow for coordinated multidisciplinary clinical management. Among the features of this group of disorders, physicians should pay attention to evaluation of PTH and/or thyrotropin (TSH) resistance at diagnosis and throughout follow-up, as well as growth hormone deficiency, hypogonadism, skeletal deformities, dental impairment, obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance or type2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension, as well as ectopic ossifications (either subcutaneous or affecting deeper tissues) and impairment of neurocognitive development.

Keywords: AHO; Acrodisostosis; Acrodysostosis; Albright hereditary osteodystrophy; GNAS; OHA; Osteodistrofia hereditaria de Albright; PHP; Pseudohipoparatiroidismo; Pseudohypoparathyroidism.