Hypopituitarism. A 3-year study

Abstract

During a 3-year period of 16 Black and Indian patients were diagnosed as having hypopituitarism. Their ages ranged from 9 to 58 years; 9 were women. Headaches and visual disturbances constituted the commonest presenting symptoms, and this was related to the fact that tumours accounted for the hypopituitarism in 11 of the 16 patients. The commonest hormonal deficiency was of growth hormone and the commonest combined deficiency was of growth hormone and gonadotrophin. Hyperprolactinaemia was present in 4 patients. The spectrum of hypopituitarism ranged from 1 patient with monohypopituitarism to 2 patients who were deficient in all the hormones tested, the majority of patients, however, being deficient in only some of the hormones.