IMPAIRED GROWTH-HORMONE SECRETION IN PATIENTS OPERATED FOR PITUITARY-ADENOMAS

The frequency of growth hormone (GH) deficiency in patients operated f or pituitary neoplasms of various size and type was investigated using the insulin tolerance test. 45 patients were included in the study. 2 0 of the patients had a non-hormone secreting pituitary neoplasm, 9 ha d GH-, 6 ACTH-, 7 prolactin secreting adenomas and 3 had a craniophary ngeoma. Complete endocrinological examination was obtained in all pati ents after pituitary surgery. Apart from patients operated for GH secr eting adenomas, GH deficiency was very common after pituitary surgery (92%), even in patients operated for small lesions. Among the 45 patie nts LH/FSH deficiency was found in 33%, ACTH in 33%, TSH in 18% and AD H deficiency in 9% of the patients. In this study, impaired GH secreti on was found to be independent of the size of the tumors and was prese nt in nearly all patients after pituitary surgery (,vith exception of GH secreting adenomas). Deficiencies of other pituitary hormones mere predominantly observed after surgery for large tumors.