Pituitary Disorders Flashcards
What are the two types of pituitary tumours and why can they be harmful
Non-functioning tumours - can cause inadequate production of one or more of the hormones due to pressure from tumour on glandular tissue, tumour can press on surroundings causing other problems
Functioning tumours - cause overproduction of one or more pituitary hormone
What is hypopituitarism and what are its causes
Insufficient pituitary hormone production
Causes - pituitary adenoma, radiation therapy, inflammatory disease, head injury
Usually secondary to mass effect from adenoma
What is a complete deficiency of all anterior pituitary hormones called
Panhypopituitarism
What are the effects of growth hormone deficiency
Adults - decreased exercise tolerance, increased body fat, decreased muscle strength, reduced sense of well-being
Fetus - little effect on fetal growth, severe prenatal deficiency can result in hypoglcaemia and jaundice
Children - poor growth and short stature
Effects of hypogonadism
Women - lack of libido, infertility, oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea
Men - decreased libido, impotence
Effects of ADH deficiency
Dehydration odue to excess excretion of dilute urine
Polydipsia
What effects does a non-functioning pituitary tumour pressing on the surrounding structures have
Headaches
Visual problems - compression of optic nerve
Vomiting
Nausea
How are pituitary tumours investigated
Delineation of anatomy, size and topographical location of pituitary or parapituitary mass usually by MRI
Assessment of visual field defects
Assessment of endocrine function - determine whether hormone excess or deficiency
How does hypopituitarism usually progress
Typically have progressive loss of anterior pituitary function with GH and LH/FSH usually first hormones affected
What are the causes of GH deficiency
In adults usually due to the mass effects from pituitary adenoma
In children GH deficiency is typically idiopathic but specific gene mutations and autoimmune inflammation has caused some cases
What causes gonadotropin deficiency
Mass effects from pituitary adenoma
Name some types of hypopituitarism
GH deficiency
Gonadotropin deficiency
ADH deficiency
TSH and ACTH deficiency
What can cause TSH and ACTH deficiency
Pituitary adenoma
What type of disease does ADH deficiency represent
Cranial form of diabetes insipidus
What causes ADH deficiency
Hypothalamic tumour
Pituitary tumour extended up intohypothalamus
Cranial radiotherapy
Pituitary surgery
Autoimmune infiltration
Infection - meningitis
