In order to explore the treatments and prognosis of pituitary adenomas in children, the experience in the treatment of 15 children with pituitary adenomas was summed up. The clinical data of 15 children with pituitary adenomas in Tongji Hospital were retrospectively analyzed from Jan. 1997 to Aug. 2004, including 9 males and 6 females with the age ranging from 9–15 years old (mean 12.8). The disease duration was 3 months to 5 years (mean 2 years). Fourteen cases were subjected to the microsurgical operation through oral tanssphenoidal approach and one case to medical treatment. All cases were followed up from 1 to 5 years by imaging studies and endocrine investigation. The results showed that 13 cases obtained total removal of the tumor and one subtotal removal of tumor. No severe complications and operation death occurred. It was concluded that the tanssphenoidal approach was the optimal treatment for children with pituitary adenomas. Regular and long-term follow-up is of great importance.

The effect of triptolide (TP) on the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) was explored in rat adjuvant induced arthritis (AA). AA was induced in Wistar rats. Arthritis rats were treated with TP and methotrexate (MTX) at the onset (day 9) of arthritis. On the peak of arthritis (day 24), the expression of RANKL and OPG protein in the joints and RANKL mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was detected. TNF-α and IL-1β levels in peripheral blood were determined. Bone erosion scores were also evaluated. The results showed that bone erosion scores in TP and MTX groups were lower than in AA group (P<0.01); The expression levels of RANKL in the synovium (P<0.01) and bone (P<0.05), and OPG level in synovium (P<0.05) were lower in TP group than in AA group (P<0.05). In TP group, the expression levels of RANKL mRNA and TNF-α, IL-1β in PBMC were lower than in AA group (allP<0.01). It was concluded that TP could inhibit rat adjuvant arthritis bone erosion by suppressing the expression of RANKL.