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Rathke’s cleft cysts (RCC) are a common type of lesion found in the sellar or suprasellar area. They are usually monitored clinically, but in some cases, surgery may be required. However, their natural progression is not yet well understood, and the outcomes of surgery are uncertain. The objective of this study is to evaluate the natural history of Rathke’s cleft cysts in patients who are clinically monitored without treatment, and to determine the outcomes of surgery and the incidence of recurrences over time. Design and patients: National multicentric study of patients diagnosed of Rathke’s cleft cyst (RCC- Spain) from 2000 onwards and followed in 15 tertiary centers of Spain. A total of 177 patients diagnosed of RCC followed for 67.3 months (6–215) and 88 patients who underwent surgery, (81 patients underwent immediate surgery after diagnosis and 7 later for subsequent growth) followed for 68.8 months (3–235). Results: The cyst size remained stable or decreased in 73.5% (133) of the patients. Only 44 patients (24.3%) experienced a cyst increase and 9 of them (5.1%) experienced an increase greater than 3 mm. In most of the patients who underwent surgery headaches and visual alterations improved, recurrence was observed in 8 (9.1%) after a median time of 96 months, and no predictors of recurrence were discovered. Conclusions: Rathke’s cleft cysts without initial compressive symptoms have a low probability of growth, so conservative management is recommended. Patients who undergo transsphenoidal surgery experience rapid clinical improvement, and recurrences are infrequent. However, they can occur after a long period of time, although no predictors of recurrence have been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify clinical and radiological factors associated with a higher risk of developing a severe pituitary apoplexy (PA)., Methods: Multicenter retrospective study of patients presenting with clinical PA in three Spanish tertiary hospitals of Madrid between 2008 and 2022. We classified PA as severe when presenting with an altered level of consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 15) or visual involvement., Results: A total of 71 PA cases were identified, of whom 80.28% (n = 57) were classified as severe PA. The median age was 60 (18 to 85 years old) and 67.6% (n = 48) were male. Most patients had macroadenomas, except for one patient with a microadenoma of 9 mm. Headache was the most common presenting symptom (90.1%) and anticoagulation was the most frequent predisposing risk factor, but it was not associated with a higher risk for severe PA (odds ratio [OR] 1.13 [0.21-5.90]). Severe cases were associated with male gender (OR 5.53 [1.59-19.27]), tumor size >20 mm (OR 17.67 [4.07-76.64]), and Knosp grade ≥2 (OR 9.6 [2.38-38.73]). In the multivariant analysis, the only variables associated with a higher risk for severe PA were tumor size and Knosp grade. Surgery was more common in severe PA than in non-severe (91.2% vs. 64.3%, P = 0.009)., Conclusion: A tumor size >20 mm and cavernous sinus invasion are risk factors for developing a severe PA. These risk factors can stratify patients at a higher risk of a worse clinical picture, and subsequently, more need of decompressive surgery., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective Cushing disease (CD) is a rare, poorly understood entity. Our aim was to add our clinical experience of >30 years in a multidisciplinary specialized unit to the global knowledge of CD. Methods This descriptive retrospective study included all patients admitted to the Endocrinology and Nutrition Department of the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville, Spain, from January 1980 to May 2016. All patients had a definitive diagnosis of CD. Results Total sample included 119 patients; 100 (84%) were female. Median age at diagnosis was 37.97 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 25.89–45.07 years). Median follow-up was 88 months (IQR: 45.50–157.00 months). Most tumors were microadenomas (62/95) (5.1 mm [IQR: 4.0–7.0 mm]) without sinus invasion. Surgical procedures were conventional transsphenoidal surgery (CTSS) (101/108; cured 70 after first attempt) and expanded endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (EETSS) (7/108; cured 5 after first attempt); 11 patients did not receive surgical treatment. Fourteen patients received radiotherapy after a first surgery and 5 patients after a second surgical removal attempt. In 13 patients (12.04%), CD relapse was demonstrated after initial CTSS (median disease-free period 65 months [IQR: 45–120 months]). Ten patients developed panhypopituitarism owing to the surgical procedure (CTSS); 8 patients developed panhypopituitarism after adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusions We observed slightly inferior cure rate after first surgery compared with moderately better relapse rates and time to relapse. Radiotherapy after surgery failure seemed to be more effective than CTSS; however, EETSS may be a valid alternative. Postoperative panhypopituitarism rate after first surgery was lower than expected; after radiotherapy, our results were comparable to other series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]