title: Acute evaluation of pituitary function in patients with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) can cause a fatal haemorrhagic syndrome. Pituitary ischaemia/infarction and necrosis are known causes of hypopituitarism, often remaining unrecognized because of subtle clinical manifestations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to evaluate the effect of CCHF on pituitary function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of serum free T3, free T4, TSH, GH, IGF-I, prolactin, cortisol, testosterone (in men) and oestrogen (in women) were studied in 20 patients who had been diagnosed with CCHF. TRH, LH-RH and 1 μg adrenocorticotropin tests were performed in all patients. The hypothalamo-pituitary region was examined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in two patients who were diagnosed with hypocortisolism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found cortisol insufficiency in 2 (10%) of the 20 with CCHF. However, hypophyseal MRI findings were normal in these two patients. None of the patients had deficiencies of GH, TSH or FSH/LH.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the effect of CCHF on pituitary function. We found that cortisol insufficiency may occur in patients diagnosed with CCHF; however, studies including a larger number of patients are required to make a definite conclusion on this issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kilicli
authors.forename: Hatice S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Dokmetas
authors.forename: İlyas
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Dokmetas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D011388:Prolactin; D013972:Thyrotropin; D006854:Hydrocortisone