title: Posterior pituitary functions are not altered after growth hormone replacement therapy in hypopituitarism due to Sheehan's syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of growth hormone (GH) replacement on posterior pituitary functions of GH-deficient Sheehan's syndrome (SS) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten patients with SS and 14 healthy control women were included in this prospective study. All patients were given appropriate hormone replacement therapy other than GH, according to present hormone deficiencies. Patients were euthyroid and eucortisolemic at the time of baseline evaluation. Patients and the control group were evaluated with water-deprivation and saline-infusion tests at baseline and the tests were repeated in patients with SS after 3 months of GH replacement therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the water deprivation test, 3 patients had partial central DI at baseline. Urine osmolalities of the patients were slightly lower and plasma osmolalities were significantly higher than the control group at baseline, after water deprivation and following DDAVP injection and after hypertonic saline infusion. The osmotic threshold of serum for thirst perception was found to be significantly higher in SS patients than the control group, GH replacement therapy did not influence the results of water deprivation and saline infusion tests in SS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with SS have subtle abnormalities in posterior pituitary functions and the threshold for thirst perception is increased. However GH replacement therapy does not seem to reverse or adversely affect the mildly deteriorated posterior pituitary functions of SS patients.
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Medical School Department of Endocrinology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karaca
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanriverdi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atmaca
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Unluhizarci
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kelestimur
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010904:Pituitary Gland, Posterior / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014868:Water Deprivation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D019382:Human Growth Hormone