gms | German Medical Science

56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V.
Société Française de Neurochirurgie

07. bis 11.05.2005, Strasbourg

Pituitary dysfunction following traumatic brain injury

Hypophysen-Dysfunktionen nach Schädel-Hirn-Verletzungen

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author R. Stendel - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin
  • E. Peltonen - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin
  • A. Arafat - Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Endokrinologie und Ernährungsforschung, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin
  • A. F. Pfeiffer - Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Endokrinologie und Ernährungsforschung, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin
  • M. Brock - Neurochirurgische Klinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Société Française de Neurochirurgie. 56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC). Strasbourg, 07.-11.05.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. DocP052

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2005/05dgnc0320.shtml

Published: May 4, 2005

© 2005 Stendel et al.
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Outline

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Objective

Recent data have suggested that significant pituitary dysfunction following traumatic brain injury is common. The pathomechanism leading to these dysfunction is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and kind of pituitary dysfunction following traumatic brain injury after a longer time interval.

Methods

A total of 50 patients (30 male, 20 female, mean age 50.8, age range 16-88 years) with a history of traumatic brain injury at least 1 year ago were included in this prospective study so far. Basal hormone values and dynamic testing of pituitary function was performed using combined anterior pituitary test and glucose tolerance test. The results were correlated to data on the mechanism and magnitude of accident and the consecutive trauma sequels.

Results

In 9 patients (18%) the dysfunction of at least one hormone axis could be demonstrated. These dysfunctions were not related to Glasgow Coma Scale score, age or the presence of other pituitary hormone abnormalities (p>0.05).

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of undiagnosed anterior pituitary hormone abnormalities in patients following traumatic brain injury. Hypopituitarism is a condition that can cause significant morbidity following traumatic brain injury. Treatment of hormone deficiencies may reduce morbidity and improve quality of life in patients following severe head injury.