Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2011; 119(1): 15-20
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1253414
Article

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The German Database on Hypopituitarism after Traumatic Brain Injury and Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage – Description, Objectives and Design

I. Kreitschmann-Andermahr1 , 5 , Y. Hartmann1 , E. Poll1 , H. J. Schneider4 , M. Buchfelder2 , 5 , G. K. Stalla3 , 5
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University
  • 2Department of Neurosurgery, University of Erlangen
  • 3Clinical Neuroendocrinology Group, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich
  • 4Medizinische Klinik Innenstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich
  • 5on behalf of the investigator board
Further Information

Publication History

received 05.10.2009 first decision 14.02.2010

accepted 15.04.2010

Publication Date:
08 June 2010 (online)

Abstract

Within the last years, a number of clinical studies have addressed the topic of hypothalamo-pituitary dysfunction following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Clinical studies oftentimes reflect the investigation of highly selective patient groups, very standardized test procedures and may be influenced by a publication bias. Epidemiological data on the prevalence and incidence of hypopituitarism after TBI and SAH in the general population still do not exist. Moreover, very little is known about risk factors and clinical characteristics of pituitary impairment after brain damage. Epidemiologic surveys which aggregate information of many different treatment centers become an increasingly important means of bridging the gap between standardized study situations and clinical practice. Therefore, a multi-center, structured data assessment to create a national registry of TBI and SAH patients has been established in 2005. The Structured Data Assessment of Hypopituitarism after TBI and SAH is coordinated by the Department of Endocrinology, Max-Planck-Institute in Munich with participation of at present 13 neurosurgical, rehabilitation and endocrinological centers in Germany and one Austrian center. Within this database, a large scope of very detailed, clinical, endocrine and outcome information is collected. It also offers the possibility of long-term follow up of the recorded patients. This is the first report of the registry describing goals, organization, methodology, funding and the descriptive data of the first 1 242 patients entered until November 20th, 2008.

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Correspondence

I. Kreitschmann-AndermahrMD 

Department of Neurosurgery

University of Technology

(RWTH) Aachen

Pauwelsstraße 30

52074 Aachen

Germany

Phone: +49/241/808 8483

Fax: +49/241/808 2564

Email: ikreitschmann-andermahr@ukaachen.de