Idiopathic giant cell granulomatous hypophysitis with hypopituitarism, right abducens nerve paresis and masked diabetes insipidus.

Abstract

A 38-year-old man presented with headache, fever, and double vision associated with right abducens nerve paresis. He had neither nuchal rigidity nor visual field defect. Laboratory data revealed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), eosinophilia, and lymphocytic pleocytosis in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Provocation tests of pituitary hormones showed partial hypopituitarism. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed swelling of the hypophysis and a mass lesion expanding into the right cavernous sinus. The supplement dose of dexamethasone for hypothalamic hypocortisolism manifested diabetes insipidus. Biopsy, carried out through the transsphenoidal approach, revealed giant cell granuloma. Systemic granulomatous diseases were ruled out, and the lesion was considered to be idiopathic giant cell granulomatous hypophysitis. Right abducens nerve paresis, diabetes insipidus and dysfunction of the anterior lobe were amended by the treatment with prednisolone for 4 months, and findings of the pituitary gland and stalk were normalized. The present case shows that glucocorticoid has an effect on amendment of idiopathic giant cell granulomatous hypophysitis.

• Authors: T Fujiwara, K Ota, N Kakudo, S Rikimaru, T Sugawara, K Yamada, T Satoh, M Yano, E Tamate, M Miura, H Ikeda, T Kimura
• Journal: Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) (Intern Med) Vol. 40 Issue 9 Pg. 915-9 (Sep 2001) ISSN: 0918-2918 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 11579956 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Prednisolone

Topics

• Abducens Nerve Diseases (blood, drug therapy, etiology)
• Adult
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (therapeutic use)
• Diabetes Insipidus (blood, drug therapy, etiology)
• Granuloma, Giant Cell (blood, complications, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Hypopituitarism (blood, drug therapy, etiology)
• Male
• Pituitary Diseases (blood, complications, drug therapy)
• Prednisolone (therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome