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Query: UNIPROT:P01189 (beta-endorphin)
 21,003 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Pituitary apoplexy is characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical features. A quite rare case of painless thyroiditis, hypopituitarism and central diabetes insipidus (DI) followed by pituitary apoplexy was presented. A 61-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital in May, 1986 because of marked general malaise, polydipsia and weight loss which became progressively worse. Four months earlier she had experienced episodes of abrupt onset of severe headache associated with nausea and blurring vision. Physical examinations revealed a fine tremor, dry skin and nervousness. The thyroid gland was not palpable. Visual fields were intact. Her blood pressure was 105/64 mmHg with variable tachycardia. The routine laboratory studies were normal or negative except for hypoalbuminemia, hypocholesterolemia and hypernatremia. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 12 mm/hr. An impairment in corticotropin secretion was suspected from the low plasma cortisol and the low urinary excretion of 17-OHCS and the sufficient response to ACTH. Basal levels of GH and gonadotropin were also low, and responses to the stimulation tests (Insulin-stress, L-DOPA, and LH-RH) were all blunted. Brain computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a suprasellar mass that, after infusion, developed peripheral ring-like enhancement and large hyperintense pituitary mass, respectively. A diagnosis of pituitary apoplexy with anterior pituitary failure was made. However, the initial levels of thyroid hormones showed elevated as follows: Free T3 7.6 pg/ml, Free T4 3.3 ng/dl and T3-resin uptake 41.1%. TSH responses to TRH were all suppressed. TSH receptor antibody (TBII) was negative. Both antithyroglobulin and antimicrosomal antibodies were repeatedly positive. A thyroid scan with 99mTc revealed no uptake in the thyroid area. These findings led us to the diagnosis of "painless autoimmune thyroiditis". She had become hypothyroid without any medication. At that time radioactive 99mTc and 123I uptakes increased significantly. When hydrocortisone was substituted, daily urine output abruptly increased to about 10 liters with low osmolality, and the presence of DI was suspected. This diagnosis was confirmed by water deprivation and hypertonic saline infusion tests and subsequent pitressin test. She is currently quite well on L-thyroxine, hydrocortisone and desmopressin (1988). This association with pituitary apoplexy must be a rare occurrence, as a literature search has failed to find a similar case. The pathogenetic trigger of "painless thyroiditis" in this case may be responsible for some immunological change due to secondary adrenal insufficiency after pituitary apoplexy.
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PMID:[An unusual association of transient resolving thyrotoxicosis due to painless thyroiditis, hypopituitarism and central diabetes insipidus associated with spontaneous pituitary apoplexy]. 230 57

Pituitary apoplexy in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) producing tumors is a rare occurrence. We report four patients with Cushing's disease harboring ACTH-secreting macroadenomas who presented with pituitary apoplexy. We report the endocrinologic and visual outcomes of these patients after emergent transsphenoidal surgery. A retrospective chart review was performed in 4 patients who presented with pituitary apoplexy from hemorrhage into an ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma. The patient charts were reviewed for clinical presentation, neuroimaging findings, intraoperative surgical findings, pathologic findings, and postoperative endocrinologic and visual outcomes. All patients presented with acute headaches, nausea, vomiting, and visual loss from optic compression. MR imaging demonstrated a hemorrhagic macroadenoma that was confirmed at surgery. All patients underwent emergent transsphenoidal decompression (within 24 h of presentation). One of these underwent an additional craniotomy to resect residual tumor. Postoperatively, all patients showed significant improvement in visual acuity and visual fields with biochemical remission confirmed on laboratory testing. Significant weight loss as well as resolution of diabetes and hypertension was noted in all cases. All four patients remained in biochemical remission at their most recent follow-up visit (mean 40 months, range: 24-72 months). Excellent endocrine and visual outcomes can be achieved after emergent transsphenoidal surgery in patients with Cushing's disease presenting with pituitary apoplexy. Although the cure rates of non-apoplectic ACTH macroadenomas are generally poor, higher rates of remission can be achieved in cases of pituitary apoplexy. This may be partly due to the effects of tumor infarction.
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PMID:Pituitary tumor apoplexy in patients with Cushing's disease: endocrinologic and visual outcomes after transsphenoidal surgery. 2192 87