Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuresis and Diabetes Insipidus as Two Sides of the Same Coin in Hypothalamic Lymphoma: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Hypothalamic-pituitary region lymphoma is rare and diabetes insipidus (DI) represents one of the most common endocrine manifestations. We report the first case of hypothalamic lymphoma associated with both the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) and DI. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old woman with a history of stage IV large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, underwent atypical right lung resection for pulmonary nodules. A few days after surgery, the patient presented severe normovolemic hyponatremia and serum hypo-osmolarity, therefore, we suspected a paraneoplastic syndrome (SIAD) related to the lung neoplasm, histologically diagnosed as typical carcinoid. The brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 9 mm lesion in the hypothalamic region that significantly increased one month later with the onset of neurological symptoms. A trans-sphenoidal biopsy showed localization of the large B-cell lymphoma. After surgery, the patient presented with polyuria and polydipsia, so desmopressin therapy was started. In the following days, serum osmolarity and sodium fluctuated between normal and low values, then DI was excluded, and SIAD became more likely. Desmopressin therapy was discontinued and hyponatremia was treated with sodium infusion. Hypothalamic lymphoma was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy with substantial shrinkage. The hyponatremia persisted during anticancer treatments and improved only after radiotherapy, confirming paraneoplastic SIAD. CONCLUSION: Lymphomas of the hypothalamic region can cause electrolyte imbalance for various causes. The differential diagnosis between SIAD, DI and impaired thirst centers may not be straightforward and the electrolyte disorders must be evaluated step by step in all different stages of the disease.

Elderly patients with Ph+ chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML): results of imatinib mesylate treatment.

Thirty-five patients with Ph+ CML aged more than 60 years were treated with imatinib. Twenty-four patients (group A) were in late chronic phase (CP) and eleven patients (group B) were in accelerated/blastic phase (AP/BP). In group A, complete haematological response (CHR) was achieved by all patients; seventeen patients (70.8%) attained a complete cytogenetic response (CCR), one (4.1%) attained a partial CR, one (4.1%) a minor CR (Ph+ 70%) and five (21%) were resistant (Ph+ 100%), toxicity was mild: seven patients had a transient cytopenia, three a skin reaction, one a moderate oedema and one muscular pain. After a median follow-up of 15 months, 1 patient died in progression and 23 patients are alive (2 in BP and 21 in persisting response). In group B, one patient died after 3 months in aplastic phase from sepsis, three patients were resistant and seven patients (63.7%) achieved CHR; of these, four obtained CCR. After a median follow-up of 17 months, 4 patients have died from progressive disease, 6 are alive; 1 in AP and 5 in CHR (4 of them being in CCR). Present data indicate that imatinib is safe also in elderly with clinical results as good as in younger patients.