Non-functioning pituitary adenomas: endocrinological and clinical outcome after transsphenoidal and transcranial surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To study improvement of anterior pituitary function after transsphenoidal and transcranial surgery of non-functioning (NF) pituitary macro- and microadenomas.


METHODS
We retrospectively examined 155 patients with NF adenomas preoperatively and 3 months, 1 year and 2 years postoperatively. 130 patients harboured a macroadenoma, 109 underwent transsphenoidal (group one), 21 transcranial surgery (group two). 25 patients presented a microadenoma (transsphenoidal surgery, group three). Endocrine studies included basal serum levels and dynamic testing of anterior pituitary partial function. Clinical symptoms and hormone replacement therapy were documented.


RESULTS
Preoperatively, in group one, two and three, somatotropic function was impaired in 85, 90 and 80 %, gonadotropic in 61, 57 and 24 %, corticotropic in 31, 38 and 28 %, thyreotropic in 32, 38 and 12 % and lactotropic in 22, 38 and 32 % cases, respectively. Pituitary functions did not improve significantly after transsphenoidal or transcranial surgery. Presurgically, 63, 62 and 0 % patients complained about visual impairments, 60, 48 and 40 % about headache, 53, 24 and 36 % about fatigue and 28, 33 and 20 % about disturbance of cycle or potency. After transsphenoidal surgery, impaired vision, headache and fatigue improved within 3 months; after transcranial surgery, only headache improved. Preoperatively, pituitary malfunctions were treated adequately. Postsurgically, more patients received adrenal and thyroid hormone substitution, less patients received sex hormones than examinations proved necessary.


CONCLUSIONS
Anterior pituitary function of NF adenoma patients did not improve significantly after transsphenoidal or transcranial surgery. After transsphenoidal surgery, most clinical symptoms normalised within 3 months. In some of the patients, substitution was not optimally adjusted to hormonal impairments.
Wichers-Rother
M
M
Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Maria.Wichers@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Hoven
S
S
Kristof
R A
RA
Bliesener
N
N
Stoffel-Wagner
B
B
D000236:Adenoma / Q000601:surgery*; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000503:physiopathology; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012886:Skull; D013100:Sphenoid Bone; D013101:Sphenoid Sinus; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006728:Hormones; D013963:Thyroid Hormones