Selective preservation of anterior pituitary functions in patients with Sheehan's syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Sheehan's syndrome manifests as hypopituitarism following a child birth usually preceded by postpartum hemorrhage. The symptoms range from vague feelings of ill health to symptoms of a full blown panhypopituitarism. A large series of such patients is not described in the literature.


METHODS
We present the details of ten women with partial Sheehan's syndrome. They presented with post-partum hemorrhage and lactation failure.


RESULTS
After delivery, seven out of ten patients had regular menstrual cycles indicating preservation of gonadotroph function. Lactotroph, thyrotroph, and somatotroph failure were present in all and corticotrophs preservation was documented in four out of ten patients. The hypophysial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed empty sella in all.


CONCLUSIONS
lactotroph, somatotroph and thyrotroph failure are common in patients with Sheehan's syndrome. In addition to known preservation of gonadotroph axis, corticotroph axis may be preserved in some of these patients arguing against the universal treatment of these patients with glucocorticoids.
Department of Endocrinology, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Bashir Ahmad
BA
Laway
Shahnaz Ahmad
SA
Mir
Tariq
T
Gojwari
Tariq Rashid
TR
Shah
Abdul Hamid
AH
Zargar