Hypopituitarism.
Incidence and prevalence of hypopituitarism are estimated to be 4.2 per 100,000 per year and 45.5 per 100,000, respectively. Although the clinical symptoms of this disorder are usually unspecific, it can cause life-threatening events and lead to increased mortality. Current research has refined the diagnosis of hypopituitarism. Identification of growth hormone and corticotropin deficiency generally requires a stimulation test, whereas other deficiencies can be detected by basal hormones in combination with clinical judgment. Newly developed formulations of replacement hormones are convenient and physiological. Work has shown that many patients with brain damage--such as traumatic brain injury or aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage--are at high risk of (sometimes unrecognised) hypopituitarism. Thus, a much increased true prevalence of this disorder needs to be assumed. As a result, hypopituitarism is not a rare disease and should be recognised by the general practitioner.
Schneider
Harald Jörn
HJ
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Clinical Neuroendocrinology Group, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: schneider@mpipsykl.mpg.de.
Aimaretti
Gianluca
G
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Endocrinology, Department of Medical and Experimental Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.
Kreitschmann-Andermahr
Ilonka
I
Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
Stalla
Günter-Karl
GK
Clinical Neuroendocrinology Group, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
Ghigo
Ezio
E
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000172:deficiency / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000172:deficiency / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D013739:Testosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine