title: Hypothalamic-pituitary function in patients with craniopharyngiomas.
abstract: Hypothalamic-pituitary function was investigated in 20 patients with craniopharyngioma, and all showed some degree of hypopituitarism. Pituitary-adrenal dysfunction was present in 50% of the patients whereas all but one had deficiencies of growth hormone and gonadotropin. Serum thyroxine was low in 13 patients, and in a further six there was an abnormal response of thyrotropin (TSH) to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). Prolactin levels were normal in over half the patients tested and only moderately elevated in the remainder. Gonadotropins failed to increase adequately after gonadotropin-releasing hormone (LRH) in all but one patient, and the response gave no indication of the predominantly hypothalamic site of the tumors.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006065:Gonadotropins, Pituitary; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine; D006854:Hydrocortisone