NEUROLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF PROLACTINOMA (CASE REPORT).

This article describes a clinical case of prolactinoma, the onset of which was diagnosed after long-term use of eglonil, after the appearance of such side effects as galactorrhea. This clinical case is a unique one because of the peculiarities of diagnostic search. The first complaints of the patient were anxiety and fear, fatigue, frequent mood swings, memory disoders. She was examined by a family physician and prescribed eglonil (sulpiride) 200mg for 7 days. Because of the positive effect the patient decided on her own to continue treatment for another several weeks. But suddenly she revealed a leakage of milk from the mammary glands. The family physician assessed galactorrhea as a side effect of long-term use of eglonil, and cancelled this prescription. Simultaneously the family doctor canceled COCs, that the patient used for the last several years, because of pregnancy planning. But three months later the mensis didn't occur. The menstrual cycle did not resume and pregnancy did not occur even 6 months later. Thus the doctor started to perform complete examination of the patient. Unfortunately, during the diagnostic search the patient rejected to do the contrast and primarily was performed MRI without contrast. The doctor revealed abnormal prolactin level - 423 ng/ml (normal range <25 ng/ml). Finally MRI of the pitutary including dynamic contrast was done. It has demonstrated an 8 x 11 mm mass in pituitary gland. The patient was prescribed conservative treatment according to the protocol. As a result, subsequent monthly control laboratory tests of prolactin levels in blood indicated gradual decrease of its level. Thus the first symptoms of prolactinoma may be atypical and can be detected only by a detailed survey and observation of the patient. It is also known that the severity of symptoms depends on the size of prolactinomas. Large prolactinomas cause symptoms of central nervous system lesion: headaches, depression, anxiety, irritability, emotional instability but in our clinical case, the prolactinoma was small but manifests with severe symptoms of the central nervous system lesion (according to the results of HADScale and MoCA scale). The presence of concomitant pathology can mask or distort the symptoms of another disease that complicates the diagnosis. On the other hand, treatment of one of the comorbidities and improving its course leads to a reduction in the manifestations of the others.

SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF A PROLACTINOMA (CASE REPORT).

Currently, lots of young couples are facing infertility. One of the relatively rare causes of female infertility is prolactinoma - hormonally active pituitary tumor that secretes excessive quantity of prolactin. Excessive prolactin production is leading to anovulation and women infertility. We propose for your attention a case report management of patient with prolactinoma. Long and adequate administration of inhibitors of prolactin secretion leads to regression of the tumor size up to its complete disappearance, which allows patients with prolactinoma not only to get pregnant, but also to nurse and give birth to healthy children.

[Clinically active pituitary tumors]. / Klinisch aktive Hypophysentumoren.

The widespread use of diagnostic imaging has led to an increase in the incidence of pituitary tumors. The majority of incidentalomas are hormone-inactive (HI) pituitary microadenomas. The most common clinically relevant pituitary adenomas are prolactin-secreting, followed by HI, and far less common are growth hormone (GH)-, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)- and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)-secreting adenomas. Pituitary adenomas are usually benign, although aggressive growth and invasion occurs in individual cases. Very rarely, they give rise to metastases and are then termed pituitary carcinomas. All pituitary tumors require endocrine testing for pituitary hormone excess. In addition to the medical history and clinical examination, laboratory diagnostics are very important. Symptoms such as irregular menstruation, loss of libido or galactorrhea often lead to the timely diagnosis of prolactinomas, and hyperprolactinemia can easily confirm the diagnosis (considering the differential diagnoses). Diagnosis is more difficult for all other hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas (acromegaly, Cushing's disease, TSHoma), as the symptoms are often non-specific (i.e., headaches, weight gain, fatigue, joint pain). Furthermore, comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and depression are such widespread diseases that pituitary adenomas are rarely considered as the underlying cause. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment have a significant impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Therefore, the role of primary care physicians is very important for achieving an early diagnosis. In addition, patients with pituitary adenomas should always be referred to endocrinologists to ensure optimal diagnosis as well as treatment.

Transsphenoidal surgery for microprolactinomas in women: results and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Long-term dopamine agonist (DA) therapy is recommended as a first-line approach for the management of microprolactinomas. However, DA therapy may be poorly tolerated by some patients, and therefore some patients continue to prefer surgery over DA therapy. AIM: The aim of our study was to evaluate factors associated with favorable outcomes after surgical treatment of microprolactinomas in women. METHODS: Thirty-two women (mean age 31.0 ± 8.2 years) with confirmed microprolactinomas who were operated using transsphenoidal approach were included to the study. Twenty-two (61 %) women had previous DA therapy and ten (39 %) women preferred surgery as a first treatment. Mean follow-up was 4.2 ± 2.7 years. Surgery was considered to be effective and remission achieved if serum prolactin was normal without DA therapy and there were no signs of tumor re-growth on neuroimaging. RESULTS: Nine (47.4 %) patients in whom remission was achieved did not receive preoperative DA therapy when compared to one (7.7 %) patient in whom remission was not achieved (p = 0.02). Remission after operation was achieved in nine out of ten (90 %) patients who did not receive DA therapy compared to ten out of 22 patients (45.5 %) who were treated with DAs (p = 0.01). The independent factor associated with good outcome following surgical treatment was no preoperative DA therapy (RR = 14.57 (1.43-148.1), p = 0.02). Surgical complications were permanent diabetes insipidus in two patients (6.3 %) and transient DI in five (15.6 %) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The main factor associated with favorable microprolactinoma surgery outcome in women was the absence of preoperative DA therapy.

[Prolactinoma causing erectile dysfunction]. / Prolactinoma como causa de disfunción eréctil.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperprolactinaemia is an unusual cause of erectile dysfunction, yet erectile dysfunction is a common complaint in patients with hyperprolactinaemia. We present a patient with erectile dysfunction without symptoms suggesting hyperprolactinaemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patient consulted with erectile dysfunction for the past 10 years. Decreased time and quality of erection with an IIEF score of 14/30. Lab reports: prolactin 90.2 ng/ml, FSH 1.6 mlU/ml, LH 1.8 UI/L, total testosterone .491 ng/ml. Brain MRI: lateral pituitary micro adenoma, 5mm in diameter. RESULTS: Patient in treatment with cabergoline 1mg per week, after treatment noticed improvement in erectile dysfunction and sexual desire. Actual prolactin 15.4 ng/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Up to 5% of patients with erectile dysfunction are diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma. Erectile dysfunction caused by pituitary neoplasms is a multifactorial disease and elevated prolactin has consequences on testosterone, LH, FSH, and dopamine precursor levels.

Current Status of Diagnosis and Management of Functioning Pituitary Tumors: Part II.

Functioning pituitary tumors contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. Proper diagnostic approach and management is essential for optimal outcomes. Prolactinomas, the commonest of these, are the only tumors which can be managed medically. Acromegaly, apart from acral enlargement, can have multiple comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea. The primary treatment is surgical and it can be supplemented by radiotherapy and medications such as somatostatin analogs, growth hormone receptor blockers, or cabergoline. Thyrotropin-secreting tumors are rare and present with hyperthyroidism. Optimal preoperative management followed by surgical resection often leads to cure.

[Selection of management tactics in treatment of giant prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas].

Surgical treatment of giant pituitary adenomas is one of the most complicated problems of modern neurosurgery. Before introduction of dopamine agonists surgery was the dominating therapy. Advances in modern pharmacology allowed to approach the alternative way of management of giant prolactinomas (GP). The paper focuses on comparative analysis of results of surgical and conservative treatment of 57 patients with GP. 34 of them were operated and 23 received cabergolin as primary therapy. Assessment of neurological status, visual functions, hypopituitary disorders and prolactin level was performed. Dynamics of evaluated symptoms resulting from tumor shrinking showed that primary conservative treatment of GP is more preferable than surgical.

Ectopic Prolactinoma Presenting as Bacterial Meningitis: A Diagnostic Conundrum.

BACKGROUND: Prolactinomas may rarely present with meningitis and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea secondary to erosion of the wall of the sella turcica. It is even more uncommon for this abnormal communication to be caused by an ectopic prolactinoma arising from the sphenoid sinus and eroding into the sella. This atypical growth pattern makes diagnosis very difficult because there may be no displacement of the normal pituitary gland. The first reported case of a patient with an ectopic prolactinoma originating within the sphenoid sinus presenting primarily with meningitis is presented, and the management strategy and surgical and nonsurgical treatment options are discussed. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 48-year-old woman presented with confusion, low-pressure headache, and fever. A lumbar puncture revealed Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis, and she was placed on intravenous penicillin G. After initiation of antibiotics, she noticed salty tasting postnasal fluid leakage. Imaging was remarkable for bony erosion of the sphenoid sinus wall by a soft tissue mass growing from within the sinus, with no disruption of the normal pituitary gland. A biopsy was then performed with an endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach, and the CSF leak was repaired with a pedicled nasoseptal flap. The final pathology was prolactinoma, and she was placed on cabergoline. CONCLUSIONS: Ectopic prolactinomas may rarely present as meningitis secondary to retrograde transmission of bacteria through a bony defect in the sphenoid sinus, and must be included in the differential diagnosis of any sphenoid sinus mass. Management should first address the infection, followed by surgical repair of the bony defect.

Delayed Diagnosis of Acromegaly in the Context of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to Symptoms Mimicking Known Psychotropic Medication Side Effects.

BACKGROUND: Acromegaly is caused by elevated secretion of human growth hormone, which is frequently because of intracranial tumors. This diagnosis is fairly uncommon with an incidence of 3 to 4 cases per million patients per year. We are presenting a case of acromegaly diagnosed in an active duty Chief Petty Officer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 38-year-old male Chief Petty Officer with no previous mental health diagnosis experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms in early 2012 after deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. Initially he self-managed his symptoms, but in July 2012 he required a reduction mammoplasty because of gynecomastia. The metabolic workup revealed elevated prolactin, but this was not further investigated. His recovery from anesthesia was complicated by intensified PTSD-like symptoms, which continued to worsen after the surgery. On self-referral to mental health, he was diagnosed with PTSD and managed for 6 months with cognitive behavioral therapy. Because of persistent and worsening symptoms, his therapy was augmented to include continued cognitive behavioral therapy, alpha-blockers, antidepressants, antihistamines, and sleep aids. Because of night sweats, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors doses were modified. Night sweats persisted, and the patient was re-evaluated for other potential etiologies. On evaluation, the patient endorsed a history of obstructive sleep apnea, cervicalgia, visual changes, depressed mood, as well as multiple physical symptoms including coarsened facial features, large hands/feet, and increased interdental distance. On laboratory analysis, insulin-like growth factor 1 was noted to be 3 times the upper limit of normal, and a prolactin level was five times the upper limit of normal. A brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cystic pituitary lesion with suprasellar extension, compression of the infundibulum without invasion of the cavernous sinus, or displacement of the optic chiasm. Based on clinical history, physical examination, laboratory data, and the pituitary lesion, this patient was diagnosed with acromegaly. He was referred to neurosurgery for further evaluation and management. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: This case shows that side effects of medications can easily mimic some medical conditions. The possibility of unrecognized disease should not be overlooked simply because a patient's symptoms that develop after starting a medication correspond well the side effect profile of the prescribed medications. This is especially true if side effects do not stop with alteration of medication dose, cessation of the medication, or changing to another medication. Pituitary adenomas are rare in patients treated for PTSD. However, attribution of PTSD patient's symptoms to the side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors therapy without considering a broader differential may lead to a missed diagnosis of an endocrine disease. In this case, the presence of an undiagnosed pituitary lesion resulted in ineffective medical management of PTSD in the patient. Mental health providers should remain allied with their primary care counterparts and consider directing patients to primary care for periodic physical re-evaluation to provide the most effective approach to symptom evaluation and management.

The novel use of very high doses of cabergoline and a combination of testosterone and an aromatase inhibitor in the treatment of a giant prolactinoma.

Most prolactinomas respond rapidly to low doses of dopamine agonists. Occasionally, stepwise increases in doses of these agents are needed to achieve gradual prolactin (PRL) reductions. Approximately 50% of treated men remain hypogonadal, yet testosterone replacement may stimulate hyperprolactinemia. A 34-yr-old male with a pituitary macroadenoma was found to have a PRL level of 10,362 micro g/liter and testosterone level of 3.5 nmol/liter. Eleven months of dopamine agonist therapy at standard doses lowered PRL levels to 299 micro g/liter. Subsequent stepwise increases in cabergoline (3 mg daily) further lowered PRL levels to 71 micro g/liter, but hypogonadism persisted. Initiation of testosterone replacement resulted in a rise and discontinuation in a fall of PRL levels. Aromatization of exogenous testosterone to estradiol and subsequent estrogen-stimulated PRL release was suspected. Concomitant use of cabergoline with the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole after resuming testosterone replacement resulted in the maintenance of testosterone levels and restoration of normal sexual function, without increasing PRL. Ultimately, further reduction in PRL on this therapy permitted endogenous testosterone production. Thus, novel pharmacological maneuvers may permit successful medical treatment of some patients with invasive macroprolactinomas.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery: experience with 50 patients.

An endoscope was used in transsphenoidal surgery and eventually replaced the operating microscope as the tool for visualization. This study focuses on 50 patients (28 females and 22 males) with a median age of 38 years (range 14-88 years). Initially, four patients underwent operation via a sublabial-transseptal approach using a rigid endoscope in conjunction with an operating microscope. The 48 subsequent operations were performed through a nostril using only rigid endoscopes. Forty-four patients had pituitary adenomas and six had various other lesions. Thirteen patients had microadenomas, 16 had intrasellar macroadenomas, nine had macroadenomas with suprasellar extension, and six had invasive macroadenomas involving the cavernous sinus. Seven patients had recurrent pituitary adenomas and 25 had hormone-secreting adenomas (eight patients with Cushing's disease and 17 patients with prolactinomas). Among the eight patients with Cushing's disease, seven had resolution of hypercortisolism clinically and chemically. Of the 17 patients with prolactinomas, 10 improved clinically with normal serum prolactin levels, four improved clinically with elevated serum prolactin levels, and three had residual tumors in the cavernous sinus. Among the 19 patients with nonsecreting adenomas, 16 underwent total resection and three subtotal resection leaving residual tumor in the cavernous sinus. Postoperatively, all patients who had undergone endonasal endoscopic surgery had unobstructed nasal airways with minimal discomfort. More than half of the patients required only an overnight hospitalization.

Treatment of patients with a pituitary adenoma: one clinician's experience.

The diagnosis and treatment of a patient with a pituitary adenoma or another type of pituitary lesion requires a team approach involving the neurosurgeon, endocrinologist, primary care physician, and, in some patients, an ophthalmologist and radiation therapist. The diagnosis of excessive pituitary hormone secretion and/or loss of pituitary function is based on biochemical findings and can usually be confirmed by performing blood tests, except for patients with suspected Cushing syndrome. The primary treatment of pituitary adenomas is resection, except in patients with a prolactin-producing tumor, who are most successfully treated medically with a dopamine agonist. In this article the author reviews the principles of diagnosis and treatments and offers recommendations for ideal patient care.

Diagnostic evaluation of hyperprolactinemia.

A serum prolactin (PRL) level is obtained in response to a specific clinical presentation, including symptoms of hyperprolactinemia (such as amenorrhea and galactorrhea); serum PRL measurement may also be performed as part of an infertility evaluation. An initial level above the normal range should be followed by a repeat level from a blood sample drawn in the morning with the patient in a fasting state. The medical history and a few laboratory tests can eliminate the most common physiologic and pharmacologic causes of hyperprolactinemia, including pregnancy, primary hypothyroidism and treatment with drugs (such as neuroleptics) that reduce dopaminergic effects on the pituitary. In the absence of such causes, radiologic imaging of the sella turcica is necessary to establish whether a PRL-secreting pituitary adenoma or other lesion is present. The vast majority of patients are treated medically, with dopamine agonist drugs. Surgery is reserved for the patient with the uncommon tumor that does not respond to medical therapy or has a large cystic component or for the occasional patient who cannot tolerate dopamine agonists or who experiences pituitary apoplexy.

Blurred vision during airline flight reveals prolactinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pituitary adenomas can manifest with a variety of endocrinologic signs and symptoms, including amenorrhea, galactorrhea, infertility, and acromegaly. Because of the anatomic location of the pituitary gland, and its proximity to the optic chiasm and cavernous sinuses, pituitary adenomas can also result in decreased visual acuity, diplopia, ophthalmoplegia, visual-field loss, and optic atrophy. In general, these tumors are slow-growing. However, there are reports in the medical literature of patients with previously undiagnosed brain tumors in whom neurological signs suddenly developed when in higher altitudes. CASE REPORT: A 47-year-old woman came in for an evaluation of a one-month history of blurry peripheral vision that occurred during-then persisted following--an international flight. Examination and automated visual-field testing revealed a decrease in her best-corrected visual acuity and a bi-temporal hemianopsia. Subsequent examinations by a neurologist and endocrinologist revealed a significant pituitary adenoma-specifically, a prolactinoma. The patient was treated with bromocriptine and has shown a rapid improvement in her visual field and a regression of the tumor, as evidenced by a repeat MRI. CONCLUSION: In this case, the sudden development of the patients symptoms during an airline flight, and the persistence of the symptoms after landing, resulted in the discovery of a prolactinoma.

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing caused by a pituitary adenoma.

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) syndrome is a rare primary headache syndrome first described in 1978. We report on a 43-year-old man with a 10 year history of SUNCT in whom a pituitary macroadenoma was eventually detected. His pain rapidly improved with medical treatment of the prolactinoma and we propose that this is a case of symptomatic SUNCT.

Apoplexy of a microprolactinoma during pregnancy: case report and review of literature.

OBJECTIVE: To report a rare case of apoplexy in a microprolactinoma during pregnancy. METHODS: We present the initial clinical manifestations, laboratory results, radiologic findings, and management in a patient who had pituitary apoplexy during early pregnancy. The pertinent literature and management options are also reviewed. RESULTS: A 37-year-old woman with a history of a microprolactinoma presented during the 16th week of her first pregnancy with a sudden onset of severe headache, nausea, vomiting, and blurred vision. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a sellar heterogeneous mass with suprasellar extension and contact with the optic chiasm, compatible with adenoma apoplexy. The patient's visual fields were normal. Conservative management was followed by rapid clinical improvement and a notable regression of the sellar mass after 5 weeks of cabergoline therapy. Uneventful pregnancy resulted in the delivery of a healthy baby. Repeated magnetic resonance imaging was performed 1 week after delivery and showed resolution of the microadenoma. At 3 months after delivery, the patient had recovered regular menses and had sustained normal prolactin levels without treatment. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates a rare occurrence of apoplexy in a microprolactinoma during pregnancy, which was managed conservatively and led to a complete regression of the pituitary tumor.

Clinical problem solving: monster on the hook--case problems in neurosurgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Nonfunctioning and functioning pituitary tumors can present in numerous ways. They may be difficult to diagnose correctly and, even with proper treatment, may lead to complications. METHODS: We present the case of a patient who presented with a large, invasive sellar mass and underwent both medical and surgical treatment for this lesion. The patient's course did not progress as was expected from his initial workup. RESULTS: The patient's history, physical examination, laboratory values, pathologic specimens, and radiologic findings are discussed. His management before, during, and after medical therapy and surgery is reviewed by pituitary experts from 2 different institutions. Aspects of diagnosis and management of sellar lesions are presented and reviewed in the literature. CONCLUSION: Neurosurgeons frequently treat patients with sellar lesions and should remember that despite modern laboratory, pathologic, and radiologic techniques, the diagnosis and treatment of these lesions is not always clear.