title: Pathology of the pituitary gland in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
abstract: The pituitary gland was examined at autopsy in 88 patients who died with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related complex (ARC). Pathologic findings included focal to widespread necrosis and/or fibrosis of the anterior pituitary gland in 10 cases, evidence of cytomegalovirus infection without an apparent inflammatory component in the anterior pituitary in 3 cases, and microglial nodules in the pars nervosa in 5 cases. In one instance, a multinucleated giant cell identical to those associated with direct human immunodeficiency virus infection of brain was identified in the pars nervosa. One patient showed focal anterior pituitary infection by Cryptococcus neoformans in the context of widespread and severe cryptococcosis. These findings are discussed in relation to the possible clinical manifestations and the neuropathologic and systemic pathologic findings in AIDS patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, UCLA Medical Center.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferreiro
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Vinters
mesh_terms: D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000473:pathology*; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies