Thyrotropin and prolactin pituitary reserve in the "empty sella syndrome".

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
E C RidgwayF Maloof

Abstract

Ten patients (8 women, 2 men) with the "empty sella syndrome" were studied to evaluate the pituitary reserve of human thyrotropin (hTSH) and prolactin (hPRL). None of the patients had signs or symptoms of hypopituitarism or primary hypothyroidism. All patients had normal baseline thyroid function tests except for 2 patients with mild elevations in total triiodothyronine as measured by competitive protein displacement assay (T3D). Eight of ten patients had normal hTSH responses to thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), whereas the 2 patients with elevated T3D had blunted TRH responses. In the 4 patients studied, the metabolic clearance (MCR) and production rates (PR) of hTSH were normal. In 9 of 10 patients normal baseline serum hPRL levels were detected, and each responded to TRH. In one case serum hPRL was undetectable and failed to respond to TRH. The assessment of other anterior pituitary function revealed few minor abnormalities. In summary, like other anterior pituitary hormones, the pituitary reserve in "empty sella syndrome" of hTSH and hPRL is usually normal. When abnormalities do occur, they are attributable to other co-existent endocrine pathology.

Citations

Jan 8, 1981·The New England Journal of Medicine·R E KleinmannL E Braverman
Jun 1, 1978·Journal of Neurosurgery·G T TindallJ H Christy
Jul 1, 1982·The American Journal of the Medical Sciences·S T Bigos, T D Carnes
Jan 1, 1977·Indian Journal of Ophthalmology·R L AgrawalR L Shrimali
Oct 1, 1983·The American Journal of Medicine·A M FleckmanN Fleischer
Mar 25, 1999·Journal of Endocrinological Investigation·A FranzeseA Tenore

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