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Clinically non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas in the elderly

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Abstract

Background and aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical presentation, characteristics and post-surgical outcome of non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas (NFPM) in elderly patients. Methods: 27 patients (65–81 years; 13 Males, 14 Females) with NFPM (20–45 mm in diameter) were studied. The symptoms prompting neuroradiological studies were vision alterations in 52%, and dizziness, loss of memory, confusion, headache and depression in 29%; in 19% of patients, the disease was incidentally discovered during computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for head trauma or cerebral is-chemic attacks. Results: Endocrinological evaluation on diagnosis showed global anterior hypopituitarism in 33% and partial hypopituitarism in 37% of patients. Im-munohistochemistry showed signs of neurosecretion in most NFPM (chromogranin-A in 55%, gonadotropins in 19%, ACTH in 3.7%). Ki-67 antigen expression was indicative of low proliferative activity. Surgery was highly effective in improving alterations in vision and com-pressive symptoms, but was unable to restore normal pituitary function in established hypopituitarism in most cases. Eight patients (31%) were free of disease on subsequent MR (follow-up 1–6 years). In 18 (69%) patients, a post-surgical residue was present. Of these, 6 (33%) underwent radiotherapy in the following years, owing to an increase in the volume of the remnants, and six (33%) underwent additional surgical treatment, followed by radiotherapy for further signs of growth in two. In the remaining patients, a small intrasellar remnant was stable on yearly MRI. Conclusions: in elderly patients, the development of hypopituitarism is often overlooked and the initial diagnosis of NFPM may be delayed. This can expose patients to the risks of unrecognized hy-popituitarism and jeopardize post-surgical outcome.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology, Galliera Hospital, Genova, Italy

    Patrizia Del Monte MD, PhD, Luca Foppiani, Alessandro Marugo & Donatella Bernasconi

  2. Division of Neurosurgery, Galliera Hospital, Genova, Italy

    Antonio Ruelle & Giancarlo Andrioli

  3. Unit of Pathology, Galliera Hospital, Genova, Italy

    Roberto Bandelloni & Paolo Quilici

  4. Department of Geriatrics, Galliera Hospital, Genova, Italy

    Camilla Prete & Ernesto Palummeri

Authors
  1. Patrizia Del Monte MD, PhD
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  2. Luca Foppiani
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  3. Antonio Ruelle
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  10. Donatella Bernasconi
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Correspondence to Patrizia Del Monte MD, PhD.

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Del Monte, P., Foppiani, L., Ruelle, A. et al. Clinically non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas in the elderly. Aging Clin Exp Res 19, 34–40 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03325208

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