title: Survival and growth in a woman with untreated hypothalamic panhypopituitarism of 21 years' duration.
abstract: A 29-year-old woman with evidence of a craniopharyngioma and documented panhypopituitarism is described. Clinical and laboratory evaluation revealed deficiencies of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, growth hormone, prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone and antidiuretic hormone. Prompt release of several pituitary hormones was noticed after administration of the hypothalamic releasing hormones FSH/LH-RF and thyrotropin-releasing hormone, whereas insulin-induced hypoglycemia, levodopa, chlorpromazine and clomiphene citrate, all of which act at the level of the hypothalamus, did not alter basal pituitary secretion. The patient's height of 60 inches, despite panhypopituitarism, and the interpretation of the above data are discussed in the light of current concepts regarding the dynamics of the hypothalamic-hypophyseal system.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000150:complications*; D004393:Dwarfism, Pituitary / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000172:deficiency; D010901:Pituitary Function Tests; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000172:deficiency*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000172:deficiency; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000172:deficiency; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D014667:Vasopressins; D002996:Clomiphene; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007980:Levodopa; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D002746:Chlorpromazine