N. Ozbey et al., CLINICAL AND LABORATORY EVALUATION OF 40 PATIENTS WITH SHEEHANS-SYNDROME, Israel journal of medical sciences, 30(11), 1994, pp. 826-829
Forty patients with typical obstetric history of Sheehan's syndrome we
re reviewed retrospectively. Together with baseline laboratory values,
insulin hypoglycemia test was evaluated in 15 patients, thyrotropin-r
eleasing hormone (TRH) in 27 and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone
(LH-RH) in 7 patients. Baseline hormone values suggested secondary hy
pothyroidism, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and hypocortisolemia. Acco
rding to the results of the anterior pituitary stimulation tests, one
patient (6.6%) showed normal cortisol response and one patient (6.6%)
showed normal growth hormone response to hypoglycemia. Nine patients (
33.3%) who were clinically and biochemically hypothyroid demonstrated
adequate TSH response to TRH. None of the patients showed normal prola
ctin response to TRH. Four out of seven amenorrheic patients (57.1%) h
ad adequate follicle-stimulating hormone and/or LH responses to LH-RH.
It has been concluded that isolated anterior pituitary hormone defici
encies may occur in patients with Sheehan's syndrome. Prolactin respon
se to TRH seems the most sensitive screening test for detecting Sheeha
n's syndrome in patients with typical obstetric history.