Hypopituitarism differential diagnosis

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Iqra Qamar M.D.[2], Ahmed Elsaiey, MBBCH [3]

Overview

Hypopituitarism must be differentiated from Sheehan's syndrome, lymphocytic hypophysitis, pituitary apoplexy, hypothyroidism, Addison's disease, empty sella syndrome, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, Simmonds' disease, hypoprolactinemia, and menopause.

Differentiating hypopituitarism from other Diseases

Hypopituitarism should be differentiated from other diseases like Sheehan's syndrome, lymphocytic hypophysitis, pituitary apoplexy, hypothyroidism, Addison's disease, empty sella syndrome, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, Simmonds' disease, hypoprolactinemia, and menopause.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Diseases	Onset	Manifestations					Diagnosis
		History and Symptoms				Physical examination	Laboratory findings	Gold standard	Imaging	Other investigation findings
		Trumatic delivery	Lactation failure	Menstrual irregularities	Other features	Physical examination	Laboratory findings	Gold standard	Imaging	Other investigation findings
Sheehan's syndrome	Acute	++	++	Oligo/amenorrhea	Adrenal insufficiency symptoms Hypothyroidism features	Breast tissue atrophy Decreased axillary and pubic hair growth	Pancytopenia Eosinophilia Hyponatremia Low fasting plasma glucose Decreased levels of anterior pituitary hormones in blood	Dx is clinical Most senitive test: low baseline prolactin levels w/o response to TRH	CT/MRI: Sequential changes of pituitary enlargement followed by Shrinkage and necrosis leading to decreased sellar volume or empty sella	Pituitary hormone stimulation tests (Metoclopramide and clomiphene citrate stimulation tests)
Lymphocytic hypophysitis	Acute	+/-	+	Oligo/amenorrhea	Associated with autoimmune conditions Generalized headache Retro-orbital or Bitemporal pain Mass lesion effect such as visual field defects	DI Autoimmune thyroiditis	Decreased pituitary hormones(Gonadotropins most common) Hyperprolactinemia(40%) GH excess	Pituitary biopsy: lymphocytic infiltration	CT & MRI: Features of a pituitary mass Diffuse and homogeneous contrast enhancement	Assays for: Anti-TPO Anti-Tg Ab
Pituitary apoplexy	Acute	+/-	++	Oligo/amenorrhea	Severe headache Nausea and vomiting Paralysis of eye muscles (diplopia) Changes in vision	Visual acuity defects CN palsies (nerves III, IV, V , and VI)	Decreased levels of anterior pituitary hormones in blood.	MRI	CT scan without contrast: Hemorrhage on CT presents as a hyperdense lesion MRI: If inconclusive CT	Blood tests may be done to check: PT/INR and aPTT Pituitary hormonal assay
Empty sella syndrome	Chronic	-	+	Oligo/amenorrhea	Erectile dysfunction Headache Low libido	Signs of raised intracranial pressure may be present Nipple discharge	Decreased levels of pituitary hormones in blood.	MRI	Empty sella containing CSF	Pituitary hormone stimulation tests (Metoclopramide and clomiphene citrate stimulation tests)
Simmond's disease/Pituitary cachexia	Chronic	+/-	+	Oligo/amenorrhea	Cachexia Premature aging	Progressive emaciation Loss of body hair	Decreased levels of anterior pituitary hormones in blood.	MRI		Pituitary hormone stimulation tests (Metoclopramide and clomiphene citrate stimulation tests)
Primary hypothyroidism	Chronic	+/-	-	Oligomenorrhea/menorrhagia	Cold intolerance Constipation	Dry skin Bradycardia Hair loss Myxedema Delayed relaxation phase of deep tendon reflexes	Low T3,T4 High TSH Rest of pituitary hormone levels WNL	TSH levels	Done to rule out any pituitary cause	Assays for anti-TPO and anti-Tg Ab FNA biopsy
Primary Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism	Chronic	-	-	Oligo/amenorrhea	Hot flushes Energy and mood changes Decreased libido		Low estrogen, testosterone High FSH/LH		Done to rule out any pituitary cause	Genetic tests (karyotype) Measurement of total and free testosterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone concentrations
Hypoprolactinemia	Chronic	-	+	-	Infertility Subfertiliy	Puerperal agalactogenesis	No workup is necessary		Done to rule out any pituitary cause	Prolactin assay in 3rd trimester LH, FSH Thyrotropin and free thyroxine
Panhypopituitarism	Chronic	-	+	Oligo/amenorrhea	Polyuria Polydipsia Features of hypothyroidism and hypoadrenalism	Growth failure B/L hemianopsia Papilledema	All pituitary hormones decreased	MRI		Left hand and wrist radiograph for bone age
Primary adrenal insufficiency/Addison's disease	Chronic	-	-	-	Hypoglycemia Hypotension	Dehydration Hyperpigmentation loss of pubic and axillary hair	Hyponatremia with/without hyperkalemia Plasma renin activity to aldosterone ratio	Abdominal CT	Abdominal CT	Serum cortisol testing Serum ACTH testing Anti-adrenal Ab testing
Menopause	Chronic	-	+/-	Oligo/amenorrhea	Hot flashes Insomnia Weight gain and bloating Mood changes	Vaginal atrophy Loss of pelvic muscle tone	↑ FSH ↓ Estradiol and inhibin	FSH > LH

Differentiating different causes of hypothyroidism

Various kinds of hypothyroidism can be differentiated from each other on the basis of history and symptoms and laboratory findings:^[8]^[9]^[10]

Disease		History and symptoms			Laboratory findings							Additional findings
Disease		Fever	Goiter	Pain	TSH	Free T4	T3	T3RU	Thyroglobin	TRH	TPOAb	Additional findings
Primary hypothyroidism	Autoimmune	+	+/- Diffuse	-	↑	↓	N/↓	Normal	N/↑	Normal	↑	May be accompanied by other autoimmune diseases
	Thyroiditis	+	+/-	+	↑	↓	Normal	Normal	N/↑	Normal	Normal	Infectious thyroiditis associated with neck pain
	Others	-	+/-	-	↑	↓	Normal	Normal	N/↑	Normal	Normal	History of hyperthyroidism Drug history
Transient hypothyroidism		+/-	-	+/-	↑	↑	Normal	Normal	↑	Normal	Normal	May present primarily with hyperthyroidism
Subclinical hypothyroidism		-	-	-	↑	Normal	Normal	Normal	↑	Normal	N/↑	Asymptomatic
Central Hypothyroidism	Pituitary	+	-	-	N/↓	N/↓	N/↓	↓	Normal	Normal	Normal	Other pituitary hormone deficiencies signs
Central Hypothyroidism	Hypothalamus	+	-	-	N/↓	N/↓	N/↓	↑	Normal	↓	Normal	Other pituitary hormone deficiencies signs
Resistance to TSH/TRH		-	-	-	↑	N/↓	N/↓	Normal	Normal	↑/↓	Normal	Rare

References

↑ Sato N, Sze G, Endo K (1998). "Hypophysitis: endocrinologic and dynamic MR findings". AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 19 (3): 439–44. PMID 9541295.
↑ Powrie JK, Powell M, Ayers AB, Lowy C, Sönksen PH (1995). "Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis: magnetic resonance imaging features of two new cases and a review of the literature". Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf). 42 (3): 315–22. PMID 7758238.
↑ Honegger J, Schlaffer S, Menzel C, Droste M, Werner S, Elbelt U, Strasburger C, Störmann S, Küppers A, Streetz-van der Werf C, Deutschbein T, Stieg M, Rotermund R, Milian M, Petersenn S (2015). "Diagnosis of Primary Hypophysitis in Germany". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 100 (10): 3841–9. doi:10.1210/jc.2015-2152. PMID 26262437.
↑ Thodou E, Asa SL, Kontogeorgos G, Kovacs K, Horvath E, Ezzat S (1995). "Clinical case seminar: lymphocytic hypophysitis: clinicopathological findings". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 80 (8): 2302–11. doi:10.1210/jcem.80.8.7629223. PMID 7629223.
↑ Imura H, Nakao K, Shimatsu A, Ogawa Y, Sando T, Fujisawa I, Yamabe H (1993). "Lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis as a cause of central diabetes insipidus". N. Engl. J. Med. 329 (10): 683–9. doi:10.1056/NEJM199309023291002. PMID 8345854.
↑ Hsieh CY, Liu BY, Yang YN, Yin WH, Young MS (2011). "Massive pericardial effusion with diastolic right ventricular compression secondary to hypothyroidism in a 73-year-old woman". Emerg Med Australas. 23 (3): 372–5. doi:10.1111/j.1742-6723.2011.01425.x. PMID 21668725.
↑ Dejager S, Gerber S, Foubert L, Turpin G (1998). "Sheehan's syndrome: differential diagnosis in the acute phase". J. Intern. Med. 244 (3): 261–6. PMID 9747750.
↑ Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pmid19949140
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[pmid9541295-1] Sato N, Sze G, Endo K (1998). "Hypophysitis: endocrinologic and dynamic MR findings". AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 19 (3): 439–44. PMID 9541295.

[pmid7758238-2] Powrie JK, Powell M, Ayers AB, Lowy C, Sönksen PH (1995). "Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis: magnetic resonance imaging features of two new cases and a review of the literature". Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf). 42 (3): 315–22. PMID 7758238.

[pmid26262437-3] Honegger J, Schlaffer S, Menzel C, Droste M, Werner S, Elbelt U, Strasburger C, Störmann S, Küppers A, Streetz-van der Werf C, Deutschbein T, Stieg M, Rotermund R, Milian M, Petersenn S (2015). "Diagnosis of Primary Hypophysitis in Germany". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 100 (10): 3841–9. doi:10.1210/jc.2015-2152. PMID 26262437.

[pmid7629223-4] Thodou E, Asa SL, Kontogeorgos G, Kovacs K, Horvath E, Ezzat S (1995). "Clinical case seminar: lymphocytic hypophysitis: clinicopathological findings". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 80 (8): 2302–11. doi:10.1210/jcem.80.8.7629223. PMID 7629223.

[pmid8345854-5] Imura H, Nakao K, Shimatsu A, Ogawa Y, Sando T, Fujisawa I, Yamabe H (1993). "Lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis as a cause of central diabetes insipidus". N. Engl. J. Med. 329 (10): 683–9. doi:10.1056/NEJM199309023291002. PMID 8345854.

[pmid21668725-6] Hsieh CY, Liu BY, Yang YN, Yin WH, Young MS (2011). "Massive pericardial effusion with diastolic right ventricular compression secondary to hypothyroidism in a 73-year-old woman". Emerg Med Australas. 23 (3): 372–5. doi:10.1111/j.1742-6723.2011.01425.x. PMID 21668725.

[pmid9747750-7] Dejager S, Gerber S, Foubert L, Turpin G (1998). "Sheehan's syndrome: differential diagnosis in the acute phase". J. Intern. Med. 244 (3): 261–6. PMID 9747750.

[pmid19949140-8] Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pmid19949140

[pmid18177256-9] Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pmid18177256

[pmid18415684-10] Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pmid18415684

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Hypopituitarism differential diagnosis

Overview

Differentiating hypopituitarism from other Diseases

Differentiating different causes of hypothyroidism

References

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