Suspected silent pituitary somatotroph neuroendocrine tumor associated with acromegaly-like bone disorders: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Growth hormone (GH) positive pituitary neuroendocrine tumors do not always cause acromegaly. Approximately one-third of GH-positive pituitary tumors are classified as non-functioning pituitary tumors in clinical practice. They typically have GH and serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in the reference range and no acromegaly-like symptoms. However, normal hormone levels might not exclude the underlying hypersecretion of GH. This is a rare and paradoxical case of pituitary tumor causing acromegaly-associated symptoms despite normal GH and IGF-1 levels. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 35-year-old woman with suspicious acromegaly-associated presentations, including facial changes, headache, oligomenorrhea, and new-onset diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. Imaging found a 19 × 12 × 8 mm pituitary tumor, but her serum IGF-1 was within the reference, and nadir GH was 0.7ng/ml after glucose load at diagnosis. A thickened skull base, increased uptake in cranial bones in bone scan, and elevated bone turnover markers indicated abnormal bone metabolism. We considered the pituitary tumor, possibly a rare subtype in subtle or clinically silent GH pituitary tumor, likely contributed to her discomforts. After the transsphenoidal surgery, the IGF-1 and nadir GH decreased immediately. A GH and prolactin-positive pituitary neuroendocrine tumor was confirmed in the histopathologic study. No tumor remnant was observed three months after the operation, and her discomforts, glucose, and bone metabolism were partially relieved. CONCLUSIONS: GH-positive pituitary neuroendocrine tumors with hormonal tests that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for acromegaly may also cause GH hypersecretion presentations. Patients with pituitary tumors and suspicious acromegaly symptoms may require more proactive treatment than non-functioning tumors of similar size and invasiveness.

Real-life data of Pasireotide LAR in acromegaly: a long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: Pasireotide LAR (PAS-LAR) was released in Italy in 2017 to treat acromegaly patients resistant to SRLs (Somatostatin Receptors Ligands). The long-term follow-up data of PAS-LAR therapy in Italy are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PAS-LAR in acromegaly. DESIGN: Patients with acromegaly in PAS-LAR treatment were enrolled in three tertiary Italian endocrinological centers and evaluated by a retrospective observational real-life multicentre study. METHODS: Patients have been studied before (baseline) and 1, 6, 12, 24 and > 36 months after PAS-LAR start. Clinical, biochemical, and pituitary magnetic resonance data were collected, along with information on adverse events. Acromegaly disease activity was classified according to the IGF-1 index (normal value < 1.0). RESULTS: Fifty patients (female 23) were enrolled. PAS-LAR treatment (mean follow-up 24 ± 16 months) significantly decreased IGF-1 levels (IGF-1 index baseline vs last visit: 1.9 ± 0.6 vs 1.2 ± 0.6, p < 0.0001). At the last visit, 67% of patients had controlled disease, and 44% showed a decrease in tumor volume. Clinical and biochemical efficacy was observed as early as after 1-month of PAS-LAR treatment (IGF-1 index baseline vs 1-month: 1.9 ± 0.6 vs 1.4 ± 0.7, p < 0.0001). Also, 50% of patients referred headache improvement or disappearance. Fifteen patients discontinued PAS-LAR due to failure of treatment and poor glycaemic control. The prevalence of diabetes increased from 33% at the baseline to 54% at the last visit (p = 0.0072). CONCLUSION: In real-life settings, PAS-LAR significantly decreases symptoms, IGF-1 levels, and the size of adenoma in patients with acromegaly resistant to SRLs. Beneficial effects may occur early after the first injection.

Treatment of acromegaly with oral octreotide.

Acromegaly is a rare disease caused by a growth hormone excess, usually due to a secreting pituitary adenoma. Somatostatin receptor ligands (SRL) are the mainstay of medical therapy for patients with acromegaly who fail to achieve biochemical control post-operatively or are not eligible for surgical treatment. SRLs are typically administered as monthly injections and have shown to be effective in maintaining biochemical and radiological control of acromegaly. However, these injections may cause local adverse events and are associated with increased psychological burden in some patients. Oral octreotide provides a new alternative for patients responding to injectable SRLs. This new formulation has shown to have similar safety and efficacy profiles compared to injectable SRLs and may be a preferable option for some patients with acromegaly. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the role of oral octreotide in the management of acromegaly.

Aortic root dilation in acromegaly.

Previous studies have linked persistent elevations in growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) to cardiac abnormalities including aortic root dilation. Guidelines in the management of this dilation below the size recommended for surgery have not been well defined but follow-up and intervention when appropriate could be life-saving. We report the case of a man in his 60s who had been living with undiagnosed acromegaly for many years. His initial assessment through point-of-care ultrasound raised concerns about potential cardiac enlargement, prompting further investigation with a formal echocardiogram, which revealed a significant aortic root dilation measuring 4.5 cm. Subsequent blood tests confirmed elevated levels of IGF-1. Brain MRI showed a focal lesion in the pituitary gland, which was surgically resected, confirming the diagnosis of a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma. One year after surgery, a repeat CT angiogram of the chest demonstrated a stable size of the aortic root aneurysm.

Postoperative structural complications after microscopic transsphenoidal surgery of GH secreting pituitary adenomas / Complicações estruturais pós-operatórias após microcirurgia transesfenoidal de adenomas pituitários produtores de GH

Objective: Analyzing the rate of structural complications after transsphenoidal surgery for removal of growth hormone (GH) secreting pituitary adenomas. Methods: Retrospective study of 58 patients who underwent microscopic transsphenoidal neurosurgery for GH secreting pituitary adenomas exeresis in Curitiba, Parana state, Brazil, between 1998 and 2011 by the same neurosurgeon. The Criteria for diagnosis of complications were clinical. Results: Five (8,6%) of the 58 patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery developed postoperative anatomical complications, which was due to sixth cranial nerve palsy (3,4%), surgical wound infection (1,7%) and CSF fistula (3,4%). Conclusion: The rate of postoperative complications observed in the present study is likely the literature review. There is a drop in the rate of complications with increasing experience of the neurosurgeon.

Objetivo: Analisar a taxa de complicações anatômicas após cirurgia transesfenoidal para remoção de adenoma hipofisário produtor de hormônio do crescimento (GH). Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo de 58 pacientes operados por microcirurgia transesfenoidal para exérese de adenomas pituitários produtores de GH em Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil, entre 1998 e 2011, realizados pelo mesmo neurocirurgião. Diagnóstico das complicações foi clínico. Resultados: Dos 58 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia transesfenoidal, 5 (8,6%) desenvolveram complicações anatômicas, 3,4% foram em decorrência de paresia temporária do sexto nervo craniano, 1,7%, de infecção da ferida operatória, e 3,4%, de fístula liquórica. Conclusão: A taxa de complicações pós-operatórias observada no presente estudo está semelhante à da revisão literária. Há uma queda no índice de complicações conforme aumenta a experiência do neurocirurgião.

Manejo multidisciplinario de la acromegalia / Multidisciplinary management of acromegaly

Acromegaly is a chronic disease caused in most cases by hypophysiary adenoma. It is of complex management due to the high variability of the causing lesion and its clinical repercussion. Surgical outcomes are poor with remission rates of 80 percent for microadenomas and 50 percent for macroadenomas. The author's experience in treating 38 patients with this pathology as well as the remission results of the illness and the complications are presented herein. Handling alternatives and associated complications are discussed and a clinical case is presented to show the therapeutical options in more complex cases.

La acromegalia es una enfermedad crónica causada en la mayoría de los casos por un adenoma hipofisario. Su manejo es complejo por la gran variabilidad de la lesión causante y su repercusión clínica. Los resultados quirúrgicos son pobres, con tasas de remisión de la enfermedad en promedio de un 80 por ciento en microadenomas y 50 por ciento en macroadenomas. Se presenta la experiencia del autor en el manejo de esta patología en 38 pacientes, los resultados de remisión de la enfermedad. Se discute las alternativas de manejo, complicaciones asociadas y se ilustra con un caso clínico para demostrar las opciones terapéuticas en los casos más complejos.

Adenomas hipofisarios en la infancia / Pituitary adenomas in childhood

Los adenomas hipofisarios son raros en la población pediátrica, constituyen menos del 3 por ciento de los tumores supratentoriales en el niño, con una incidencia anual de 0,1 por millón de niños. El objetivo de nuestro trabajo fue caracterizar el comportamiento de esta entidad, así como los resultados del tratamiento quirúrgico. Realizamos un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo en pacientes menores de 16 años, diagnosticados y tratados en nuestro centro, en el período comprendido entre Enero de 1991 y junio del 2010. Nuestra muestra quedó conformada por 6 pacientes, la edad promedio fue de 11 años, predominó el sexo femenino y la raza no tuvo predilección. Las alteraciones endocrinas fueron las formas más frecuentes de presentación. El diagnóstico imagenológico se realizó con la Tomografía Computarizada y la Resonancia Magnética Nuclear, en la valoración oftalmológica, la campimetría alcanzó una alta sensibilidad y desde el punto de vista hormonal, la prolactina y la GH fueron las comprometidas. Predominaron los macroadenomas y las lesiones funcionantes. Estas lesiones en su mayoría fueron intervenidas a través de abordajes frontopterional y transesfenoidales, nuestro grupo presentó dos complicaciones, una fístula de líquido cefalorraquídeo y un aracnoidocele. Predominaron los buenos resultados. No tuvimos fallecidos en relación con la cirugía.