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Objective: To describe the clinical presentation, management and outcome of pituitary apoplexy from a single centre and retrospectively apply the Pituitary Apoplexy Score (PAS)., Design: Retrospective review of patients presenting with classical pituitary apoplexy to a single neurosurgical centre in the Greater Manchester region., Results: A total of 31 cases with classical pituitary apoplexy were identified between 2005 and 2014. The mean age at presentation was 55 years, and there were 19 men. In only one patient was there prior knowledge of a pituitary adenoma. Eleven (35%) patients were managed conservatively and 20 (65%) patients managed surgically. Emergency surgery was carried out in 11 patients. At presentation, visual symptoms were present in a higher proportion of patients in the surgical group (90%) compared to the conservatively managed group (64%). At final follow-up, visual recovery was apparent in most patients in both the surgical (100%) and conservatively (86%) managed groups. The proportion of patients with hypopituitarism was high in both the surgical (86%) and conservative (73%) groups at presentation, and this failed to improve at final follow-up (90% vs 73%, respectively). The median PAS scores were higher in the surgical (PAS 2), compared to the conservatively managed group (PAS 0)., Conclusion: In pituitary apoplexy patients managed conservatively or surgically, there is good recovery of visual symptoms but not endocrine function. Patients should be managed on a case-by-case basis based on the severity of symptoms at presentation, progression of disease and surgical expertise available. Further prospective studies using the PAS are required to determine its usefulness in clinical practice., (© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To study the presentation, management and outcomes and to apply retrospectively the Pituitary Apoplexy Score (PAS) (United Kingdom (UK) guidelines for management of apoplexy) to a large, single-centre series of patients with acute pituitary apoplexy., Design: Retrospective analysis of casenotes at a single neurosurgical centre in Liverpool, UK., Results: Fifty-five patients [mean age, 52·4 years; median duration of follow-up, 7 years] were identified; 45 of 55 (81%) had nonfunctioning adenomas, four acromegaly and six prolactinomas. Commonest presenting features were acute headache (87%), diplopia (47·2%) and visual field (VF) defects (36%). The most frequent ocular palsy involved the 3rd nerve (81%), followed by 6th nerve (34·6%) and multiple palsies (19%). Twenty-three patients were treated conservatively, and the rest had surgery either within 7 days of presentation or delayed elective surgery. Indications for surgery were deteriorating visual acuity and persistent field defects. Patients presenting with VF defects (n = 20) were more likely to undergo surgery (75%) than to be managed expectantly (25%). There was no difference in the rates of complete/near-complete resolution of VF deficits and cranial nerve palsies between those treated conservatively and those who underwent surgery. Endocrine outcomes were also similar. We were able to calculate the PAS for 46 patients: for the group treated with early surgery mean, PAS was 3·8 and for those managed conservatively or with delayed surgery was 1·8., Conclusions: Patients without VF deficits or whose visual deficits are stable or improving can be managed expectantly without negative impact on outcomes. Clinical severity based on a PAS ≥ 4 appeared to influence management towards emergency surgical intervention., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background and Objective: The rarity of pituitary apoplexy renders it a difficult subject for audit; hence there are no evidence-based standards of optimum care for such patients. The key controversy in management relates to the role of acute neurosurgical intervention. In recent years we have adopted a relatively conservative approach towards patients presenting with pituitary apoplexy. Against this background, we aimed to determine whether our less-interventional approach affected long-term clinical outcome in these patients., Patients and Design: A retrospective analysis was performed to evaluate clinical presentation, management and clinical outcomes in a cohort of patients who presented acutely with pituitary apoplexy during the period 1994-2004. Data from 33 patients (13 female) were included, with a mean age of 52 (range 27-79) years and mean follow-up duration of 3.7 (0.4-10.1) years., Results: The most common presenting symptoms were headache (97%), visual deficits (82%) and nausea/vomiting (78%). Fifteen patients (46%) underwent transsphenoidal surgery while 18 were managed conservatively. Indications for surgery were deteriorating visual deficit (n = 13), hemiparesis (n = 1) and altered conscious level (n = 1). Eight patients in the surgical group had ocular paresis that resolved in 63% following surgery, and seven had visual field defects with recovery in 57% postsurgery. Conservative management was reserved for patients with absent, or evidence of resolving, visual deficits at presentation. In this group, seven presented initially with ocular paresis and six with visual field defects but all made full recoveries. Of the patients managed neurosurgically, 87% required long-term glucocorticoid replacement and 60% required long-term thyroid hormone replacement. Conservatively managed patients required glucocorticoid replacement in 72% and thyroid hormone replacement in 72% of cases (P = NS between the two groups). Sex steroid replacement was required in 67% and 83% of patients managed neurosurgically and conservatively respectively (P = NS). At latest follow-up one patient in the conservatively managed group had required surgery and one in the surgically managed group had received pituitary radiotherapy, in both instances due to evidence of tumour regrowth on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that patients presenting with pituitary apoplexy in whom visual deficits are stable or improving may be managed expectantly as there is no identifiable deleterious effect on visual or endocrine outcome. One patient from each group experienced tumour regrowth that necessitated further treatment intervention, highlighting the importance of long-term follow-up in patients with pituitary apoplexy.

Objective: The term classical pituitary apoplexy describes a clinical syndrome characterized by sudden headache, vomiting, visual impairment and meningismus caused by the rapid enlargement of a pituitary adenoma usually due to haemorrhagic infarction of the tumour. Most published reports looking at the clinical features and management of pituitary apoplexy have not differentiated between patients with clinical and subclinical apoplexy, the latter diagnosed at surgery. Furthermore, little is reported on the clinical outcome, in particular visual and endocrinological, and the role of radiotherapy. The purpose of this study was to observe not only the clinical presentation but also the possible predisposing events, investigations, management, clinical outcome as well as the role of radiotherapy in patients presenting with classical pituitary apoplexy., Patients and Design: In a retrospective analysis 1985-96, the medical records of 21 male and 14 female patients (mean age 49.8 years, range 30-74) with classical pituitary apoplexy were reviewed. This represents all patients seen with this condition over the stated period., Measurements: In all patients, pre- and post- operative measurements were made of FT4, FT3, TSH, PRL, LH, FSH, cortisol (0900 h), GH, oestradiol (females) and testosterone (males). Pituitary imaging was by computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or both., Results: Patients were followed for up to 11 years (mean 6.3 years: range 0.5-11). Headache (97%) was the commonest presenting symptom, followed by nausea (80%) and a reduction of visual fields (71%). Hypertension, defined as a systolic > 160 mmHg and/or a diastolic > 90 mmHg, was seen in 26% of patients. MRI correctly identified pituitary haemorrhage in 88% (n = 7), but CT scanning identified haemorrhage in only 21% (n = 6). By immunostaining criteria, null-cell adenomas were the most common tumour type (61%). Transsphenoidal surgery resulted in improvement in visual acuity in 86%. Complete restoration of visual acuity occurred in all patients operated on within 8 days but only in 46% of patients operated on after this time (9-34 days). Long-term steroid or thyroid hormone replacement was necessary in 58% and 45% of patients, respectively. Of the male patients, 43% required testosterone replacement, and long-term desmopressin therapy was required in 6%. Only two patients (6%) with tumour recurrence after transsphenoidal surgery for the initial apoplectic event, subsequently required radiotherapy., Conclusions: In classical pituitary apoplexy, headache is the commonest presenting symptom and hypertension may be an important predisposing factor. MRI is the imaging method of choice. Transsphenoidal surgery is safe and effective. It is indicated if there are associated abnormalities of visual acuity or visual fields because, when performed within 8 days, it resulted in significantly greater improvement in visual acuity and fields than if surgery was performed after this time. Radiotherapy is not indicated immediately as the risk of tumour recurrence is small, but careful follow-up initially with annual imaging is indicated in this group.