4 PATIENTS WITH POLYENDOCRINOPATHY WITH ASSOCIATED PITUITARY-HORMONE DEFICIENCY

Four cases of polyglandular endocrine disorders associated with pituit ary hormone secretion failure are reported. Three of them had both ins ulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and Hashimoto's disease. Each of these patients (eases 1-3) showed isolated deficiency of ACTH, TSH or gonadotropin, respectively. Another patient (case 4) had both Hashi moto's disease and isolated ACTH deficiency Anti-pituitary antibody to AtT-20 cells was detected in case 1. Serum gamma-globulins from patie nts 1 and 4 attenuated corticotropin releasing hormone-induced ACTH re lease in monolayer cultured rat anterior pituitary cells. Gamma-globul ins from patients 1 and 2 decreased baseline TSH release but stimulate d baseline prolactin release in pituitary cell cultures. It is possibl e that pituitary hormone deficiency in these patients may be caused by autoimmune disorders.