First Male Case of Lymphocytic Hypophysitis in Korea

Lymphocytic hypophysitis is a rare inflammatory disorder which is caused by autoimmune destruction of the pituitary gland. Almost all reported cases have been in women and the disease is often associated with pregnancy. We describe here the first male case of lymphocytic hypophysitis in Korea. The patient presented with headache, impotence, decreased libido, and deteriorated vision. Endocrinologic studies showed panhypopituitarism, and pituitary MRI imaging revealed a homogeneously enhanced pituitary mass with a thickened stalk. Treatment with prednisolone and thyroid hormone for five months was ineffective. Transsphenoidal resection of the pituitary mass was performed successfully with normalization of the visual field defect. Histologic examination revealed diffuse lymphocytic infiltration with dense collagenous fibrosis, consistent with lymphocytic hypophysitis. Lymphocytic hypophysitis should be considered in differential diagnosis even in men with hypopituitarism and an enlarged pituitary gland.

The Incidence of Thyroid Autoantibody in Subacute Thyroiditis and the Clinical Characteristics of Greeping Thyroiditis / 대한내분비학회지

Background: Subacute thyroiditis is a spontaneously resolving inflammatory disorder of thyroid gland, usually associated with painful goiter and short-lived thyrotoxicosis. Although its etiology is yet to be established, much evidence suggests viral infections and genetic factors play important roles. Usually, both lobes of thyroid gland are involved simultaneously, but in some patients one lobe is involved first and the other later(creeping thyroiditis), Thyroid autoantibodies which might appear probably due to inflammatory release of thyroid antigens, are found in a variable number of patients with subacute thyroiditis. However there have been few detailed reports on their incidence in Korean patients with subacute thyroiditis. So, we were to see the elinical characteristics of patients with subacute thyroiditis with special regards to the incidence of thyroid autoantibodies and to the incidence and characteristics of creeping thyroiditis, Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 85 patients with subacute thyroiditis(7 men and 78 wornen, meam age of 43+9 years) who had visited the thyroid clinic in Seoul National University Hospital between 1986 and 1994. Results: At initial visit, the incidenees of thyroid autoantibodies were as follows: anti- microsomal antibody 7.8%, anti-thyroglobulin antibody 22.1%, and thyratropin binding inhibitor inununglobulin 6.3%. During the follow-up period, thyroid autoantibodies appeared most frequently between the first and the second month after initial visit. Compared to those with non-creeping thyroiditis, the patients with creeping thyroiditis(21.4%) had nonspecific systemic sy~rnptoms more frequently(89% vs. 42%, p<0.05). They required steroid therapy more ftequently(89% vs. 52%, p <0.05), and needed longer duration of treatment(9.3+6.2weeks vs, 4.7+3.7weeks, p<0.05). The incidence of abnormalities in liver function and the incidence of thyroid autoantibodies were higher in non-creeping thyroiditis group. Conclusion: In accordance with previous reports, thyroid autoantibodies were detected in only a small portion of Korean patients with subacute thyroiditis. Rather different clinical manifestations and different incidences of thyroid autoantibodies between ereeping group and non-creeping group suggest differences in the pathogenetic mechanisms between those two groups. However, there is need for further study to validate such observation and to elucidate the mechanisms.

The Localization of Microadenoma with Sella Imaging Study and Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling in Cushing's Disease / 대한내분비학회지

Background: Inferior petrosal sinus sampling(IPSS) is known to be useful for the differential diagnosis of ACTH-dependent Cushings syndrome and for the preoperative lateralization of pituitary microadenoma. We tried to analyze the relative value of IPSS in localization of microadenoma as compared with sella imaging study including computerized tomogram(CT) or magnet resonance imaging(MRI) in Cushings disease. Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 21 patients with Cushings disease who underwent IPSS and the radiologic study such as sella CT or sella MRI preoperatively followed by transsphenoidal microsurgery. By pathologic examination including immunohistochemistry and postoperative clinical and biochemical evaluation we confirmed the diagnosis of Cushings disease due to pituitary microadenoma in all 21 cases. Results: Sella CT or sella MRI detected microadenoma in 57.1% of cases( =12/21), while recently available dynamic MRI did so in 7 out of S cases. With IPSS the diagnosis of Cushings disease was possible in 90.5% of cases(= 19/21), but accurate lateralization of microadenoma was achieved in only 63.2% of cases( =12/19). IPSS precisely localized the pituitary microadenoma in 6 out of 9 cases whose lesion were not detected by the radiologic study. Of 7 cases in which IPSS failed to localize microadenoma, the radiologic study detected the lesion in 6 cases. Of 5 cases in which IPSS and the radiologic study showed a discrepancy in location of microadenoma, the radiologic study correctly localizaed the lesion in 4 cases and IPSS did so in one case. Conclusion: IPSS is not more reliable than sella imaging study for preoperative localization of microadenoma in Cushings disease. However it might have a complementary role, especially when sella imaging study failed to visualize the lesion.

A Clinical Study on the Hypotensive Effect of Captopril

Antihypertensive effect of angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitor Captopril was studied in 34 cases of essential hypertension. A single oral dose of 50mg Captopril was administered daily and blood pressure was followed every 2 weeks. Diuretics were added to patients who responded inadequately after 2 weeks of Captopril single treatment. Alpha-blocker, beta-blocker or calcium channel-blocker was added to patients who responded inadequately after another 2 weeks of Captopril and diuretics combined treatment. In 5 cases, Captopril was raised to 100mg and further antihypertensives were added to unresponded 3 cases. The resuts were as follows; 1) In 15 patients, blood pressure dropped from 170.3+/-10.5mmHg/108.7+/-6.1mmHg to 148.3+/-4.4mmHg/93.3+/-3.7mmHg after 8 weeks of Captopril 50mg single therapy. 2) Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg was added to non-responders, and blood pressure dropped from 180+/-6.7mmHg/111.1+/-6.2mmHg to 155.0+/-15.0mmHg/106.2+/-8.7mmHg in 9 of 19 patients after 8 weeks of combined treatment. 3) Alpha-blocker, Beta-blocker or calcium channel blocker was added to 10 non-responders to Captopril-hyprochlorothiazide combination therapy, and blood pressure dropped from 189.0+/-27mmHg/116+/-10mmHg to 137.8+/-15.5mmHg/88.5+/-10.2mmHg after 8 weeks. 4) Increase of captopril from 50mg to 100mg in 5 random nonresponder cases of Captopril single treatment lowered blood pressure from 168.0+/-13.6mmHg/107.1+/-6.4mmHg to 161+/-15.2mmHg/99+/-8.8mmHg after 2 weeks. 5) Heart rate, and serum creatinine, electrolytes and lipid levels showed no significant interval change. 6) Six patients complained of dry cough and one patient complained of poor appetite but no other clinically significant complications were noted during Captopril treatment.