title: The epidemiology of pituitary adenomas in a community-based hospital: a retrospective single center study in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data on pituitary adenoma (PA) prevalence in Saudi Arabia are scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the epidemiology of PA in a well-defined population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Departments of Endocrinology and Radiology at King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Radiological and hormonal data of patients with pituitary adenoma by MRI were reviewed for the period January 2008 to December 2015.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of PA and hormonal abnormalities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 537 patients; 249 subjects (46.4%), 70 (28.1%) males and 179 (71.9%) females, were diagnosed to have PA with mean age 36.3 (14.1) years. Microadenoma and macroadenoma were seen in 171 (69%) and 78 (31%) subjects, respectively. Microadenomas were more prevalent than macroadenomas (68.7% vs. 31.3%). Microadenomas were significantly more prevalent in females, 131 (73.2 %) vs. 40 (57.1%) whereas macroadenomas were significantly more prevalent in males, 30 (42.9%) vs. 48 (26.8%) (P < .001 for both comparisons). Patients with microadenomas were significantly younger than patients with macroadenomas (P < .0001). Advanced age was significantly associated with a larger PA size (r=0.39, P < .0002). Three types of hyperfunctioning PA were seen: prolactinoma, somatotroph adenoma, and corticotroph adenoma. Five types of hypofunctioning PA were seen: panhypopituitarism, secondary hypogonadism, growth hormone deficiency, central hypothroidism and central adrenal insufficiency. Non-functioning PA were within normal laboratory hormonal values in 2% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that the prevalence of PA was greater than previously reported. This increased prevalence may have important implications when prioritizing funding for research and treatment of PA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clustering of cases within the study region might have affected estimates and limited study sample size.
authors.affiliation: Khalid S. Aljabri, MD, FRCPC, Department of Endocrinology,, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital,, PO Box 6572, Jeddah 24361,, Saudi Arabia, T: 966555544919, F: 966-22-576-0665, khalidsaljabri@yahoo.com, ORCID: http://orcid.org/000-0001-5831-5935.
authors.forename: Khalid S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Aljabri
authors.forename: Samia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bokhari
authors.forename: Faisal Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Assiri
authors.forename: Muneera A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Alshareef
authors.forename: Patan M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult