Partial improvement of anterior pituitary deficiency following steroid treatment in a patient with neurosarcoidosis accompanied by central diabetes insipidus.
A 58-year-old woman was admitted due to visual field abnormalities, thirst, polydipsia, polyuria and fever. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed an absence of the usual bright signal in the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, and an enlarged pituitary gland with a thickened stalk was enhanced by the gadolinium contrast medium. Computed tomography revealed tumor lesions in the left maxillary sinus and right retroperitoneum and axillary and subclavian lymph node swelling. An endocrinological provocation test demonstrated that her pituitary endocrine function was disturbed, although her ACTH and TSH secretion was normal. The patient was histologically diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis accompanied by hypopituitarism and central diabetes insipidus upon an examination of a subclavian lymph node specimen. Six months of prednisolone treatment resulted in the disappearance of any morphological abnormalities in the pituitary gland and stalk as well as a partial improvement in her LH, FSH and GH secretions. Pituitary endocrine functions can be rescued if steroid treatment is performed under conditions that maintain several hormonal axes.
Internal Medicine I, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Japan. ken1nai@med.shimane-u.ac.jp
Ken-ichiro
K
Tanaka
Masahiro
M
Yamamoto
Kyoko
K
Okazaki
Toru
T
Yamaguchi
Toshitsugu
T
Sugimoto
D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020790:Diabetes Insipidus, Neurogenic / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D011239:Prednisolone