Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: This longitudinal study aimed to analyze the prevalence of endocrine disorders in childhood brain tumor survivors in South Korea using claims data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified in 1,058 patients from a nationwide cohort of patients diagnosed with brain tumors between January 1st 2009 to March 29th 2016. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between clinical factors and endocrine disorders. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 60.0 months, 393 (37.1%) patients had at least 1 endocrine disorder. The commonest endocrine disorders were hypopituitarism (17.4%) and hypothyroidism (6.1%). Female gender (odds ratio(OR)=1.45, p=0.005) and age <10 years (OR=1.65, p=0.001) conferred a higher risk. Patients who received radiotherapy were more likely to have endocrine disorders compared to those who did not (OR=1.79, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Regular assessment of endocrine function and timely interventions are necessary for childhood brain tumor survivors with a risk of endocrine disorders.