RSS-Feed abonnieren
DOI: 10.1055/a-0640-2915
Neuro-Endocrine Recovery After Pituitary Apoplexy: Prolactin as a Predictive Factor
Publikationsverlauf
received 17. März 2018
revised 26. Mai 2018
accepted 06. Juni 2018
Publikationsdatum:
02. Juli 2018 (online)

Abstract
Objective Pituitary apoplexy is a serious medical complication of a pre-existing pituitary adenoma characterized by a variety of clinical symptoms ranging from mild headache to neurologically impaired and finally comatose patients. Management options are surgery or conservative treatment (e. g., with dexamethasone). Surgery is commonly performed in case of severe acute neurological and visual symptoms. However, prospective studies demonstrating a benefit of surgery over conservative treatment in terms of visual, neurological and even endocrine outcomes are lacking. Decision making is still controversial, and recommendations for surgery are based on low evidence grades and focus on visual impairment. Endocrine function and especially markers identifying patients with potential for pituitary recovery after surgery are not well described in the literature.
Patients and Design We analysed data from 24 patients (m:f/16:8) with a median age of 64 yrs (38 to 83yrs) that underwent surgery for pituitary apoplexy regardless of time from symptom onset. Apoplexies were necrotic in 14 cases and haemorrhagic in 10 cases.
Results Preoperatively, 7 patients (29.2%) showed complete anterior pituitary insufficiency, 16 patients (66.6%) had partial anterior pituitary insufficiency and one patient (4.17%) had normal pituitary functions. Persistent panhypopituitarism was found in 7 patients (29.2%), whereas an overall improvement of pituitary function was noted in 13 (57.1%) patients. Preoperative prolactin (PRL) levels were significantly associated with recovery of endocrine functions, whereas specifically all patients with preoperative PRL levels of at least 8.8 ng/ml recovered partially or fully. Time to surgery (0–7 days vs. 1–4 weeks vs.>4 weeks) was not significantly associated with outcome.
Conclusions Our data emphasize that normal and high preoperative PRL levels are associated with better endocrine outcome after surgery. We conclude that patients benefit from surgical intervention even after delayed diagnosis with the serum PRL levels is being a valid biomarker for clinical decision making.
-
References
- 1 Rajasekaran S, Ravi S, Aiyer SN. UK guidelines for the management of pituitary apoplexy. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2011; 74: 9-20
- 2 Saeger W, Lüdecke DK, Buchfelder M. et al. Pathohistological classification of pituitary tumors: 10 years of experience with the German Pituitary Tumor Registry. Eur J Endocrinol 2007; 156: 203-216
- 3 Molitch ME, Russell EJ. The pituitary “incidentaloma” Lokal. Ann Intern Med 1990; 112: 925-931
- 4 Chidiac RM, Aron DC. Incidentalomas. A disease of modern technology. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1997; 26: 233-253
- 5 Arita K, Tominaga A, Sugiyama K. et al. Natural course of incidentally found nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma, with special reference to pituitary apoplexy during follow-up examination. J Neurosurg 2006; 104: 884-891
- 6 Molitch ME. Pituitary incidentalomas. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 1997; 26: 725-740
- 7 Glezer A, Bronstein MD. Pituitary apoplexy: Pathophysiology, diagnosis and management. Arch Endocrinol Metab 2015; 59: 259-264
- 8 Liu ZH, CHang CN, Pai PC. et al Clinical features and surgical outcome of clinical and subclinical pituitary apoplexy. J Clin Neurosci 2010; 17: 694-699
- 9 Russel SJ, Miller KK. Pituitary apoplexy. In: Swearingen B, Biller BMK. editors. Diagnosis and Management of Pituitary Disorders. Totowa, NJ, USA: Humana Press; 2008. pp 353-375
- 10 Gruber A, Clayton J, Kumar S. et al. Pituitary apoplexy: Retrospective review of 30 patients--is surgical intervention always necessary?. Br J Neurosurg 2006; 20: 379-385
- 11 Ayuk J, McGregor EJ, Mitchell RD. et al. Acute management of pituitary apoplexy – surgery or conservative management?. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2004; 61: 747-752
- 12 Randeva HS, Schoebel J, Byrne J. et al. Classical pituitary apoplexy: Clinical features, management and outcome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1999; 51: 181-188
- 13 Pal A, Capatina C, Tenreiro AP. et al. Pituitary apoplexy in non-functioning pituitary adenomas: Long term follow up is important because of significant numbers of tumour recurrences. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2011; 75: 501-504
- 14 Fleseriu M, Hashim IA, Karavitaki N. et al. Hormonal Replacement in Hypopituitarism in Adults: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2016; 101: 3888-3921
- 15 Leyer C, Castinetti F, Morange I. et al. A conservative management is preferable in milder forms of pituitary tumor apoplexy. J Endocrinol Invest 2011; 34: 502-509
- 16 Sibal L, Ball SG, Connolly V. et al. Pituitary apoplexy: a review of clinical presentation, management and outcome in 45 cases. Pituitary 2004; 7: 157-163
- 17 Nawar RN, AbdelMannan D, Selman WR. et al. Pituitary tumor apoplexy: A review. J Intensive Care Med 2008; 23: 75-90
- 18 Arafah BM, Harrington JF, Madhoun ZT. et al. Improvement of pituitary function after surgical decompression for pituitary tumor apoplexy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1990; 71: 323-328
- 19 Bills DC, Meyer FB, Laws Jr ER. et al. A retrospective analysis of pituitary apoplexy. Neurosurgery 1993; 33: 602-608 discussion 608-609
- 20 Lindholm J, Kehlet H. Re-evaluation of the clinical value of the 30 min ACTH test in assessing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical function LOKAL. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 1987; 26: 53-59
- 21 Arafah BM, Kailani SH, Nekl KE. et al. Immediate recovery of pituitary function after transsphenoidal resection of pituitary macroadenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1994; 79: 348-354
- 22 Arafah BM. Reversible hypopituitarism in patients with large nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1986; 62: 1173-1179
- 23 Arafah BM, Kailani SH, Nekl KE. et al. The dominant role of increased intrasellar pressure in the pathogenesis of hypopituitarism, hyperprolactinemia, and headaches in patients with pituitary adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000; 85: 1789-1793
- 24 Zayour DH, Selman WR, Arafah BM. Extreme elevation of intrasellar pressure in patients with pituitary tumor apoplexy: Relation to pituitary function. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2004; 89: 5649-5654
- 25 Arafah BM, Brodkey JS, Pearson OH. Gradual recovery of lactotroph responsiveness to dynamic stimulation following surgical removal of prolactinomas: long-term follow-up studies. Metabolism 1986; 35: 905-912
- 26 Arafah BM, Nekl KE, Gold RS. et al. Dynamics of prolactin secretion in patients with hypopituitarism and pituitary macroadenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1995; 80: 3507-3512
- 27 Bergsneider M, Mirsadraei L, Yong WH. et al. The pituitary stalk effect: Is it a passing phenomenon?. J Neurooncol 2014; 117: 477-484