Nutritional assessment of a population with a history of childhood craniopharyngioma seen at Hospital "Prof. Dr. Juan P. Garrahan".

INTRODUCTION: Craniopharyngiomas are histologically benign malformations located between the pituitary and hypothalamus that may affect key hormone secretion for endocrine regulation and satiety modulation. Although this is a relatively benign disease, the combination of severe hypothalamic obesity and associated comorbidities results in a reduced quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the nutritional status of patients after craniopharyngioma surgery.

POPULATION AND METHODS: Patients younger than 21 years old at the time of the study who required craniopharyngioma surgery at Hospital de Pediatr.a Garrahan and who signed an informed consent. Anthropometric characteristics, body composition by impedance analysis, energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry and energy intake were assessed. Insulin resistance and dyslipemia were estimated.

RESULTS: A total of 39 patients were included; 41% had a normal weight and 59% were obese. Overall, 68% of patients had a central fat distribution; 40% had insulin resistance; and 32%, dyslipemia. No significant differences were observed in terms of insulin resistance, dyslipemia, energy expenditure at rest, or energy intake between normal weight and obese patients. Among obese patients, 77% had a low energy expenditure, regardless of their percentage of lean body mass (62 Å} 2.7% versus 61.2 Å} 1.8% of normal versus low energy expenditure at rest; p = 0.8).

CONCLUSIONS: A total of 59% of the studied population was obese. No significant differences were observed in terms of metabolic complications between normal weight and obese patients. A lower energy expenditure was observed, regardless of the lean body mass percentage and a similar energy intake.