Diabetes insipidus and anterior pituitary insufficiency as presenting features of Wegener's granulomatosis. 2001

V D Garovic, and B L Clarke, and T S Chilson, and U Specks
Divisions of Hypertension, Nephrology, Endocrinology, and Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care and the Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Garovic.Vesna@mayo.edu

Central diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare complication of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), which usually presents after pulmonary or kidney involvement. Anterior pituitary dysfunction secondary to WG has been extremely rare, documented in only three cases. We report a case of a 47-year-old postmenopausal woman who was diagnosed with hypopituitarism in November 1999 and started on vasopressin, thyroxine, and hydrocortisone. She sought treatment at the Mayo Clinic in February 2000 with a purpuric rash, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and blood in the sputum. Computed tomography of the chest showed a 6-cm irregular mass in the right lower lobe, and a biopsy of the mass showed marked reactive atypia and necrosis. Positive C-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and skin biopsy of a purpuric lesion showing leukocytoclastic vasculitis confirmed the diagnosis of WG. Hormonal studies showed low gonadotropins, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and prolactin. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head showed cystic enlargement of the pituitary gland that did not enhance with gadolinium. Two months into the treatment with cyclophosphamide and prednisone, she had persistent pituitary dysfunction, despite the normal appearance of the pituitary gland on repeat MRI. We conclude that WG should be included in the differential diagnosis of DI and anterior pituitary dysfunction in the proper clinical setting. Early diagnosis and treatment may be crucial in preventing pituitary gland destruction and long-term endocrine sequelae. We suggest screening for anterior pituitary failure in the presence of the WG-associated DI.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010900 Pituitary Diseases Disorders involving either the ADENOHYPOPHYSIS or the NEUROHYPOPHYSIS. These diseases usually manifest as hypersecretion or hyposecretion of PITUITARY HORMONES. Neoplastic pituitary masses can also cause compression of the OPTIC CHIASM and other adjacent structures. Adenohypophyseal Diseases,Hypophyseal Disorders,Neurohypophyseal Diseases,Anterior Pituitary Diseases,Pituitary Disorders,Pituitary Gland Diseases,Posterior Pituitary Diseases,Adenohypophyseal Disease,Anterior Pituitary Disease,Disease, Adenohypophyseal,Disease, Anterior Pituitary,Disease, Neurohypophyseal,Disease, Pituitary,Disease, Pituitary Gland,Disease, Posterior Pituitary,Diseases, Adenohypophyseal,Diseases, Anterior Pituitary,Diseases, Neurohypophyseal,Diseases, Pituitary,Diseases, Pituitary Gland,Diseases, Posterior Pituitary,Disorder, Hypophyseal,Disorder, Pituitary,Disorders, Hypophyseal,Disorders, Pituitary,Hypophyseal Disorder,Neurohypophyseal Disease,Pituitary Disease,Pituitary Disease, Anterior,Pituitary Disease, Posterior,Pituitary Diseases, Anterior,Pituitary Diseases, Posterior,Pituitary Disorder,Pituitary Gland Disease,Posterior Pituitary Disease
D003919 Diabetes Insipidus A disease that is characterized by frequent urination, excretion of large amounts of dilute URINE, and excessive THIRST. Etiologies of diabetes insipidus include deficiency of antidiuretic hormone (also known as ADH or VASOPRESSIN) secreted by the NEUROHYPOPHYSIS, impaired KIDNEY response to ADH, and impaired hypothalamic regulation of thirst.
D003937 Diagnosis, Differential Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures. Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014890 Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis A multisystemic disease of a complex genetic background. It is characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels (VASCULITIS) leading to damage in any number of organs. The common features include granulomatous inflammation of the RESPIRATORY TRACT and KIDNEYS. Most patients have measurable autoantibodies (ANTINEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC ANTIBODIES) against MYELOBLASTIN. Granulomatosis, Wegener's,Wegener Granulomatosis,Wegener's Granulomatosis,Granulomatosis with Polyangiitides,Granulomatosis, Wegener,Polyangiitides, Granulomatosis with,Polyangiitis, Granulomatosis with,with Polyangiitides, Granulomatosis,with Polyangiitis, Granulomatosis

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