Pituitary diseases and bone.
Pituitary hormones have direct and indirect effects on bone remodeling, and skeletal fragility is a frequent complication of pituitary diseases. Fragility fractures may occur in many patients with prolactinomas, acromegaly, Cushing disease, and hypopituitarism. As in other forms of secondary osteoporosis, pituitary diseases generally affect bone quality more than bone quantity, and fractures may occur even in the presence of normal or low-normal bone mineral density, making difficult the prediction of fractures in these settings. Treatment of excess and defective pituitary hormone generally improves skeletal health, although some patients remain at high risk for fractures, necessitating treatment with bone-active drugs.
Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Via Biseo 17, Brescia 25123, Italy.
Gherardo
G
Mazziotti
Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Via Biseo 17, Brescia 25123, Italy.
Silvia
S
Chiavistelli
Endocrinology, University of Brescia, Via Biseo 17, Brescia 25123, Italy. Electronic address: a.giustina@libero.it.
Andrea
A
Giustina
D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010900:Pituitary Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*
Bone mineral density; Cortisol; Fractures; Growth hormone; Osteoporosis; Pituitary diseases; Prolactin; Sex steroids