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Hypopituitarism induced by traumatic brain injury in the transition phase

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Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with hypopituitarism in general and GH deficiency (GHD) in particular; the consequences of this on growth and development are likely to be critical in children and adolescents in the so-called “transition phase”. In order to verify the consequences of TBI on pituitary function in the transition phase, we studied a population of adolescents and young adults 3 and 12 months after brain injury [no.=23, 9 females, 14 males; age: 16-25 yr; body mass index (BMI): 21.9±0.6 kg/m2]. At 3 months, hypopituitarism was present in 34.6%. Total, multiple and isolated deficits were present in 8.6, 4.3 and 21.7%, respectively. Diabetes insipidus (DI) was present in 8.6% patients and mild hyperprolactinemia in 4.3%. At 12 months, hypopituitarism was present in 30.3%. Total, multiple and isolated deficits were present in 8.6, 4.3 and 17.4%, respectively. DI was present in 4.3% of patients and mild hyperprolactinemia in 4.3%. Total hypopituitarism was always confirmed at retesting. Multiple and isolated hypopituitarism were confirmed in 0/1 and 2/5, respectively. Two/23 patients showed isolated hypopituitarism at 12 months only; 1 patient with isolated at 3 months showed multiple hypopituitarism at retesting. GHD and secondary hypogonadism were the most common acquired pituitary deficits. These results show the high risk of TBI-induced hypopituitarism also in the transition age. Thus it is recommended that pediatric endocrinologists follow-up pituitary function of children and adolescents after brain injuries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, C.so Dogliotti, 14, 10126, Turin, Italy

    G. Aimaretti MD, R. Baldelli & E. Ghigo

  2. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Advanced Therapies, Section of Endocrinology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

    M. R. Ambrosio

  3. Department of Molecular and Clinical Endocrinology and Oncology, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    C. Di Somma

  4. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    M. Gasperi

  5. Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    S. Cannavò

  6. Division of Endocrinology, Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    C. Scaroni

  7. Division of Endocrinology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy

    L. De Marinis

  8. Division of Paediatrics, University of Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Novara, Italy

    R. Baldelli & G. Bona

  9. Italian Society of Endocrinology, Italy

    G. Giordano (Chairman of the Study Group on Physiopathology of GH Secretion)

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  1. G. Aimaretti MD
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  2. M. R. Ambrosio
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  3. C. Di Somma
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  4. M. Gasperi
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  7. L. De Marinis
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  8. R. Baldelli
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  9. G. Bona
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  10. G. Giordano
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  11. E. Ghigo
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Correspondence to G. Aimaretti MD.

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Aimaretti, G., Ambrosio, M.R., Di Somma, C. et al. Hypopituitarism induced by traumatic brain injury in the transition phase. J Endocrinol Invest 28, 984–989 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345336

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