Sheehan's syndrome of more than 30 years' duration: an endocrine and MRI study of 6 cases

Endocr J. 1998 Aug;45(4):451-8. doi: 10.1507/endocrj.45.451.

Abstract

The endocrine function and pituitary imaging in Sheehan's syndrome more than 30 years after causative events were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a combined anterior pituitary test, plasma vasopressin-to-osmolality adaptation study, and antithyroid and antipituitary cell antibody measurement were performed in 6 women with Sheehan's syndrome. The interval from delivery to the onset of symptoms of hormonal deficiency ranged from 3 to 32 years. Since clinical onset, all had received glucocorticoid and thyroid replacement therapy. Cranial MRI examination showed an "empty sella" in 5 cases. Among these, 2 of 5 (40%) demonstrated panhypopituitarism and the other 3 (60%) maintained gonadotropin response. The pituitary gland was normally discernible but with a low-intensity lesion on T1-weighted images in a patient who maintained PRL and gonadotropin responses. Posterior pituitary function was abnormal in 3 of 6 (50%) despite the absence of polyuria. No antipituitary antibodies were detected in any of the cases. Thyroid peroxidase antibody was negative in all cases, but antithyroglobulin antibody was detected in 2 of 6 (33%). Thyroid-stimulating antibody was not detected, but one case had an anti-TSH antibody. Thirty years after the initial events, most patients with Sheehan's syndrome showed signs of an empty sella on MRI, all having noticeable suppression of anterior and/or posterior pituitary hormones with no related autoimmunity.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Autoantibodies / analysis
  • Brain / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / therapeutic use
  • Hypopituitarism / drug therapy
  • Hypopituitarism / pathology
  • Hypopituitarism / physiopathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Pituitary Function Tests
  • Pituitary Gland / immunology
  • Pituitary Gland / pathology*
  • Sodium / therapeutic use
  • Thyroid Gland / immunology
  • Thyroxine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Sodium
  • Thyroxine
  • Hydrocortisone