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Introduction: Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency (IAD) is a rare cause of adrenal insufficiency and T-box pituitary restricted transcription factor (TBX19) mutations are responsible for two-thirds of the neonatal onset form of the disease. IAD presents with hypoglycemia and prolonged jaundice in the neonatal period. TBX19 is important for both pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene transcription and differentiation of POMC-expressing cells. We describe 2 patients, 1 with a reported and 1 with a novel TBX19 mutation, and present information about the long-term follow-up of these patients., Case Presentation: Both patients had critical illnesses, recurrent hypoglycemia, convulsions, and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. They also had low cortisol and ACTH levels, while other pituitary hormones were within the normal range. Pituitary imaging was normal. After hydrocortisone treatment, there was resolution of the hypoglycemia and the convulsions were controlled. Genetic studies of the patients revealed both had inherited a homozygous mutation of the TBX19 gene. The first patient had an alteration of NM_005149.3:c.856C>T (p.R286*) and the second patient had a novel NM_005149.3:c.584C>T (p.T195I) mutation, analyzed by next-generation sequencing. The noteworthy findings of the patients at follow-up were: short stature, microcephaly, and decreased pubic hair in the first, and dysmorphic features, Chiari type 1 malformation, tall stature, and low bone mineral density (BMD) in the second., Conclusion: Congenital IAD can be life-threatening if it is not recognized and treated early. TBX19 mutations should be considered in the differential diagnosis of IAD. Further cases or functional analyses are needed for genotype-phenotype correlations. Low BMD, dysmorphic features, Chiari type 1 malformation, and sparse pubic hair are some of the important features in these patients., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background/aims: Few studies have addressed the role of the glucagon stimulation test (GST) in evaluating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in children. We investigated the diagnostic value of the GST in evaluating the adrenocortical response in short healthy children., Methods: The GST was performed in 190 children investigated for short stature. A peak cortisol >500 nmol/l was considered a normal response. In the 45 (23.7%) with subnormal response, a 250-μg ACTH test was done., Results: The rate of subnormal adrenal response to GST was higher among boys (33.9 vs. 8.9%, p < 0.001) and among children ≥6 years than among younger children (32.7 vs. 18.4%, p < 0.02). Both mean basal and peak cortisol levels were higher in girls than in boys: 381 ± 165 vs. 319 ± 151 nmol/l (p = 0.003) and 741 ± 102 vs. 595 ± 208 nmol/l (p < 0.001), respectively. Peak cortisol on GST was associated with basal cortisol (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) but not with glucose nadir (r = -0.31, p = 0.67), peak GH (r = 0.069, p = 0.33) or BMI-SDS (r = -0.08, p = 0.28). Peak cortisol was >500 nmol/l in all the patients undergoing an ACTH stimulation test., Conclusions: Since adrenal response to GST is age- and gender-related and the false-positive rate is high, its routine performance in healthy children warrants reconsideration., (© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Neuroendocrine disturbances in anterior pituitary hormone secretion are common following radiation damage to the hypothalamic-pituitary (H-P) axis, the severity and frequency of which correlate with the total radiation dose delivered to the H-P axis and the length of follow-up. The somatotropic axis is the most vulnerable to radiation damage and GH deficiency remains the most frequently seen endocrinopathy. Compensatory hyperstimulation of a partially damaged somatotropic axis may restore normality of spontaneous GH secretion in the context of reduced but normal stimulated responses in adults. At its extreme, endogenous hyperstimulation may limit further stimulation by insulin-induced hypoglycaemia resulting in subnormal GH responses despite the normality of spontaneous GH secretion. In children, failure of the hyper-stimulated partially damaged H-P axis to meet the increased demands for GH during growth and puberty may explain what has previously been described as radiation-induced GH neurosecretory dysfunction and, unlike in adults, the insulin tolerance test remains the gold standard for assessing H-P functional reserve. With low radiation doses (<30 Gy) GH deficiency usually occurs in isolation in about 30% of patients, while with radiation doses of 30-50 Gy, the incidence of GH deficiency can reach 50-100% and long-term gonadotropin, TSH and ACTH deficiencies occur in 20-30, 3-9 and 3-6% of patients, respectively. With higher dose cranial irradiation (>60 Gy) or following conventional irradiation for pituitary tumours (30-50 Gy), multiple hormonal deficiencies occur in 30-60% after 10 years of follow-up. Precocious puberty can occur after radiation doses of <30 Gy in girls only, and in both sexes equally with a radiation dose of 30-50 Gy. Hyperprolactinaemia, due to hypothalamic damage is mostly seen in young women after high dose cranial irradiation and is usually subclinical. H-P dysfunction is progressive and irreversible and can have an adverse impact on growth, body image, sexual function and quality of life. Regular testing is advised to ensure timely diagnosis and early hormone replacement therapy., (Copyright (c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objective: It was the aim of this study to describe a patient with isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency presenting with a variety of involuntary movements who developed an adrenal crisis due to transient thyroiditis., Clinical Presentation and Intervention: A 61-year-old man was hospitalized with a variety of involuntary movements that were suspected manifestations of metabolic encephalopathy. After admission, his general status rapidly deteriorated to a life-threatening condition that included a degree of hyponatremia. The hyponatremia and metabolic encephalopathy provided clues toward a definitive diagnosis. After corticosteroid and sodium supplementation improved the status of the patient, endocrinological examinations revealed that he suffered from isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency followed by transient thyroiditis that induced an adrenal crisis., Conclusion: This case emphasizes the importance of considering hypoadrenalism when encountering hyponatremia or metabolic encephalopathy of unknown etiology.

We report long-term evolution of endocrine functions and the results of GH treatment in 35 patients (26 male and 9 female) with pituitary stalk interruption. At diagnosis, mean chronological age was 4.8 +/- 2.7 years, mean SDS for height -3.1 +/- 0.8 with a bone age retardation of 2.3 +/- 1.3 years and a mean SDS for growth velocity of -0.5 +/- 1.1; 80% presented complete GH deficiency (GHD) and 20% partial GHD; thyroid deficiency was present in 47.1% of children with complete GHD but absent in all partial GHD. Diagnosis was made during the first months of life in only 2 patients while 23% presented with severe neonatal distress; neonatal signs were only observed in the group with pituitary height below 2 mm (45.7% of patients). GHD was isolated in 40.6% of patients below 10 years while multiple hormone deficiencies was consistent at completion of growth in all patients. Height gain was significantly higher in patients who started GH treatment before 4 years (p = 0.002). GH treatment is very effective: in 13 patients, final height was -0.4 +/- 1.0, total height gain 3.2 +/- 1.2 and distance to target height -0.3 +/- 1.6 SDS., (Copyright 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Background: Lymphocytic hypophysitis is one of the causes of hypopituitarism, which is considered an autoimmune reaction in the anterior pituitary., Method: We examined antipituitary antibodies in patients with lymphocytic hypophysitis and related diseases by immunoblotting method., Results: Autoantibodies to a 22-kDa human pituitary cytosolic protein were identified in significantly higher frequencies in sera from patients with lymphocytic hypophysitis (11 of 15, 73.3%) and isolated ACTH deficiency (7 of 9, 77.8%) compared with Hashimoto thyroiditis, Basedow's disease and normal control subjects. Also, reactivity against a 49-kDa human pituitary cytosolic protein was seen in 6 of 15 patients (40%) with lymphocytic hypophysitis. N-terminal amino acid sequences of 22-kDa human and rat pituitary cytosolic protein were FPTIPLSVL and FPAMPLSSLFAN, respectively, suggesting that they are human and rat growth hormone, respectively. The pituitary dysfunction (at least one hormone dysfunction) was observed in 11 of 14 patients. Nine of them (82%) showed 22 kDa antibody but 2 of them (18%) did not., Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that pituitary autoantibodies could be involved in the pathogenesis of lymphocytic hypophysitis and could be a positive marker for the disease., (Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Test sensitivity and accuracy of 250 microg/m(2) ACTH test, 1 microg/m(2) ACTH test, and overnight metyrapone test were evaluated in 158 children at risk for ACTH deficiency. Of 38 given high-dose ACTH, 20 had normal responses to metyrapone and to high-dose ACTH. 14 had low response to metyrapone; of these only 2 had low cortisol response (<550 nmol/l) to high-dose ACTH. Of 120 given low-dose ACTH, 64 had normal responses to metyrapone and to low-dose ACTH. All 24 with low metyrapone response had low or borderline response to low-dose ACTH. The remaining children had an inconclusive metyrapone response. In conclusion, high-dose ACTH misses most diagnoses of ACTH deficiency (21% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 63% accuracy). In contrast, the low dose ACTH test accurately diagnoses 90% of patients with ACTH deficiency (100% sensitivity, 68% specificity). The low-dose ACTH test can serve as an accurate and practical screening test for adequacy of ACTH reserve., (Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Isolated ACTH is a rare cause of secondary adrenocortical insufficiency. The diagnosis is made by the demonstration of low cortisol production with low plasma ACTH, absent adrenal responses to stimulation for pituitary or hypothalamus with intact adrenal response to exogenous ACTH, and normal secretory indices of other pituitary hormones. We conclude that the diagnosis of this condition may be difficult due to the varied clinical presentation and etiologies.

Serotonin (5-HT) stimulates aldosterone secretion in man through activation of 5-HT4 receptors coupled to adenylyl cyclase via a Gs regulatory protein. In adrenocortical cells, the levels of expression of the Gs protein and ACTH receptor are decreased when the cells are deprived of ACTH and angiotensin II (ANG II). In order to examine the possible influence of ACTH and ANG II on the responsiveness of human glomerulosa cells to 5-HT, we have investigated the effect of cisapride, a 5-HT4 receptor agonist, on plasma aldosterone in patients with suppressed plasma ACTH, i.e. patients with corticotropic insufficiency (CI), and in patients with suppressed renin-ANG II activity, i.e. patients with primary hyperaldosteronism (PH) including both aldosterone-producing adenoma and idiopathic hyperaldosteronism. After 2 h of recumbency, all patients received a single oral dose of 10 mg cisapride. In the CI group, cisapride induced a 5-fold increase in plasma aldosterone levels without any modification of plasma renin, potassium or cortisol levels. Combined administration of cisapride and ACTH caused an increase in plasma aldosterone similar to that produced by ACTH alone. In the PH group, cisapride was still able to cause a 3.6-fold increase in plasma aldosterone levels while renin remained suppressed throughout the study. Taken together, these data show that cisapride stimulates aldosterone secretion in CI and PH patients, indicating that prolonged suppression of plasma ACTH or renin-ANG II activity does not affect the sensitivity of glomerulosa cells to 5-HT. The present study also demonstrates that the stimulatory effects of 5-HT and ACTH on aldosterone secretion are not additive.

Neurohypophyseal function was studied by hypertonic saline infusion with plasma vasopressin measurement in 3 patients with adrenal insufficiency before and after cortisol replacement. Although each patient had different causes of adrenal insufficiency, all showed impaired water excretion before replacement. The first patient with isolated adrenocorticotropin deficiency had marked hyponatremia and inappropriate vasopressin secretion which was normalized after replacement, indicating vasopressin hypersecretion during hypoadrenocorticism. The second patient had combined anterior and posterior pituitary deficiency due to postpartum hypopituitarism and showed completely absent vasopressin secretion, with her polyuria being masked before cortisol replacement, suggesting a vasopressin-independent intrarenal mechanism of antidiuresis. The third patient with panhypopituitarism due to a pituitary tumor also had preexisting diabetes insipidus with defective vasopressin secretion. In this case, however, plasma vasopressin was found to be elevated when adrenal insufficiency and hyponatremia subsequently developed. Together, these results indicate that vasopressin hypersecretion does occur during adrenal insufficiency, but that the accompanying urinary diluting defect may be attributable either to vasopressin-dependent or to vasopressin-independent mechanisms.

A case of isolated ACTH deficiency with hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism, presenting severe hyponatremia, is described. A 57-year-old man complaining of nausea, vomiting and fatigability was admitted to our hospital because of hyponatremia (114 mEq/I). The low levels of serum cortisol and urinary 17-OHCS suggested glucocorticoid deficiency, and that the glucocorticoid deficiency was due to isolated ACTH deficiency was confirmed by a continuous ACTH loading test and pituitary gland stimulation tests. Although the low level of serum sodium was normalized after the administration of cortisone acetate (50 mg/day) combined with an increase in oral salt intake, urinary sodium loss persisted by the results of hypertonic saline infusion test. Treatment led to improvement of impairment of water diuresis due to hypersecretion of ADH. Hyporeninemic hypoaldosteronism persisted after treatment. We have shown that severe hyponatremia that occurs with combined deficiency of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids can be corrected with high salt intake and glucocorticoid replacement without correcting mineralocorticoid deficiency.

An 11.5-year-old boy presented with recurrent attacks of hypoglycaemic coma. Endocrine investigations indicated adrenocortical insufficiency secondary to isolated ACTH deficiency, how ACTH and cortisol plasma levels with normal secretory reserve of other anterior pituitary hormones. The absence of ACTH response after corticotropin releasing factor and insulin-induced hypoglycaemia suggested a failure of primary pituitary ACTH-secreting cells. Among other hormone-secreting cells, pituitary cell circulating antibodies were negative. CT scan and MRI failed to reveal any anatomical abnormality of the sella or suprasellar area.

We report on a 5-year-old child who survived an intracerebral crisis, following ketoacidosis-revealing diabetes (DKA), with visual impairment due to a vascular occipital lesion. Two and 4 months after the initial episode, a unique hypothalamopituitary disorder consisting in GH, ACTH, TSH deficiencies and central precocious puberty, was detected. Cranial magnetic resonance images showed no visible lesion in the hypothalamopituitary region. The most likely hypothesis is the ischemia of hypothalamopituitary and occipital regions following possible cerebral edema after hyperhydration. She survived with low visual acuteness and received a combined replacement therapy for the neuroendocrinological deficiencies. This case emphasizes that the rehydration at the initial period of DKA is critical, especially when risk factors for cerebral edema are present (young age, marked hyponatremia). The neuroendocrinological consequences of acute cerebral edema are rare, but physicians must be attentive in survivors of these accidents.

GH, formerly administered 2-3 times a week intramuscularly, is nowadays injected daily subcutaneously at a dosage of 14 IU/m2/day. In some patients, a 1.5- to 2.0-fold higher GH dosage is necessary for normal pubertal growth spurt. Though delayed initiation of puberty in additional gonadotropin deficiency may be favourable for final height, puberty should be induced in boys at bone age 12-13 years with low doses of testosterone enanthate, and in girls at bone age 12 years with low doses of ethinyl estradiol. Patients with additional ACTH deficiency should receive only a low-dose glucocorticoid replacement (but a steroid cover for physical stress situations). During GH therapy, thyroid function has to be evaluated regularly; often thyroxine replacement will be necessary.

Although most children with craniopharyngiomas have multiple hormone deficiencies, some will have normal growth with hyperphagia and obesity postoperatively. Many later fail to maintain this growth. If growth hormone (GH) treatment is not instituted at this time, adult height will be compromised. Normal or accelerated growth following surgery does not indicate the presence of normal GH secretion nor insure continued growth. Children with this syndrome should have careful follow-up with accurate growth measurements so that GH replacement therapy can begin when indicated.

Two amenorrheic women presenting clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency were shown to have isolated corticotropin deficiency (ICD). LH and FSH were normally responsive to GnRH. The occurrence of this disease during the postpartum and the presence of autoantibodies against corticotropic cells in one case may indicate that ICD was a sequela of an autoimmune hypophysitis. The presence of amenorrhea, while the gonadotroph was not damaged, and the reappearance of ovulatory menstrual cycles under the sole effect of hydrocortisone replacement therapy suggest that cortisol deficiency may by itself alter the gonadal function.

In this prospective longitudinal study, plasma androgen levels were determined during 1-7 years in 45 patients aged 5.6-23.8 years with either isolated growth hormone (GH) deficiency or multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone, delta 4-androstenedione and testosterone were measured by RIA in 339 blood samples collected during the study period. Mean plasma androgen levels are normal in isolated GH deficiency. Patients with multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies, but normal ACTH reserve, have mean levels lower than normal. Patients with multiple deficiencies including ACTH deficiency have still lower plasma androgen levels. Longitudinal analysis of the data, however, shows that patients with either isolated GH deficiency or multiple pituitary deficiencies without ACTH deficiency constitute a heterogeneous population, with either normal or low to very low plasma androgen levels. Treatment with human GH as such does not have any effect on the adrenal androgen secretion. A dissociation is found in some patients between adrenarche and gonadarche, which indicates that the two events are not controlled by the same mechanisms. Our results support the existence of a specific hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal androgen-stimulating hormone (AASH). ACTH, although not identical to AASH, is essential for normal adrenarche. Induced puberty with estrogens in girls does not influence plasma androgen levels, and pubic and axillary hair growth is not achieved. It is suggested that replacement treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate should be administered to girls with hypopituitarism and very low plasma androgen levels at the time of the induction of puberty. Finally, it appears from this study that, to interpret the plasma androgens in hypopituitarism, body surface is as good as bone age.

This paper documents the rare and hitherto unreported association between isolated ACTH deficiency and normoreninemic hypoaldosteronism in a 63-year-old woman. Baseline plasma aldosterone and 18-hydroxycorticosterone were extremely low. Both steroids did not respond to exogenous angiotensin II infusion, whereas they were increased in parallel to ACTH stimulation. Thus, acquired dysfunction or congenital dysgenesis of the zona glomerulosa was suspected. The upright posture-furosemide test showed a subnormal but definite plasma aldosterone response coupled with a normal increase in plasma renin activity, indicating that there may be a yet unidentified mechanism(s) underlying the postural increase of aldosterone.