title: Lymphocytic hypophysitis in the elderly.
abstract: We report a 73-year-old woman with lymphocytic hypophysitis who presented with atypical clinical features and what appeared to be pituitary apoplexy on radiological analysis. Lymphocytic hypophysitis is a rare cause of pituitary dysfunction, and is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. It typically affects young peri-partum women, with clinical features that are related to pituitary hypofunction, and an uncertain natural history. It is difficult to radiologically differentiate lymphocytic hypophysitis from pituitary macroadenoma, therefore, the gold standard of diagnosis remains histological. It is rarely reported in the elderly (> 70 years old), however, given its unpredictable clinical course it remains an important differential diagnosis in patients of this age group who present with features suggestive of pituitary dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia. Electronic address: r.sellayah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Renishka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sellayah
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Spiros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fourlanos
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D000069281:Autoimmune Hypophysitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010899:Pituitary Apoplexy / Q000175:diagnosis; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Autoimmune disease; Lymphocytic hypophysitis; Pituitary dysfunction