HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Atmaca, H. Articles by Kelestimur, F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Atmaca, H. Articles by Kelestimur, F.

Posterior pituitary function in Sheehan’s syndrome

Departments of Endocrinology, Zonguldak Karaelmas University Medical School, Zonguldak, Turkey and ¹ Endocrinology, Erciyes University Medical School, Kayseri, Turkey

(Correspondence should be addressed to F Kelestimur; Email: fktimur{at}erciyes.edu.tr)

Objective: We studied posterior pituitary function in 27 patients with Sheehan’s syndrome and 14 controls.

Design: All patients were investigated by water deprivation test and 26 of them by 5% hypertonic saline infusion test. None of the patients had symptoms of diabetes insipidus and all patients were on adequate glucocorticoid and thyroid hormone replacement therapy before testing.

Results: According to dehydration test, 8 (29.6%) patients had partial diabetes insipidus (PDI group) and 19 (70.3%) had normal response (non-DI group). During the 5% hypertonic saline infusion test, the maximal plasma osmolality was higher in PDI (305 ± 4.3) and non-DI (308 ± 1.7) groups when compared with controls (298 ± 1.7 mOsm/kg; P < 0.005), but the maximal urine osmolality was lower in PDI group (565 ± 37) than in non-DI (708 ± 45) and control (683 ± 17 mOsm/kg) groups (P < 0.05). The osmotic threshold for thirst perception was higher in PDI (296 ± 4.3) and non-DI (298 ± 1.4) groups when compared with control group (287 ± 1.5 mOsm/kg) (P < 0.005). Basal plasma osmolalities were also higher in PDI (294 ± 1.0) and non-DI (297 ± 1.1) groups than in controls (288 ± 1.2 mOsm/kg; P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that patients with Sheehan’s syndrome have an impairment of neurohypophyseal function. The thirst center may be affected by ischemic damage and the osmotic threshold for the onset of thirst in patients with Sheehan’s syndrome is increased.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. De Bellis, F. Kelestimur, A. Agostino Sinisi, G. Ruocco, G. Tirelli, M. Battaglia, G. Bellastella, G. Conzo, F. Tanriverdi, K. Unluhizarci, et al. Anti-hypothalamus and anti-pituitary antibodies may contribute to perpetuate the hypopituitarism in patients with Sheehan's syndrome Eur. J. Endocrinol., February 1, 2008; 158(2): 147 - 152. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]