Congenital hypopituitarism presenting as dilated cardiomyopathy in a child

Abstract

Congenital hypopituitarism is commonly diagnosed either in infancy with neonatal hypoglycemia, prolonged jaundice and/or microphallus or in early to mid-childhood because of short stature. Replacement of deficient hormones allows the affected children to have a normal and productive life. We describe a 10-year-old boy with congenital hypopituitarism whose parents first sought definitive medical attention when the child developed congestive heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy, presumably secondary to prolonged untreated central hypothyroidism and growth hormone deficiency.