Headache associated with pituitary adenomas

The objectives of this study were to analyze the characteristics of headach e in patients with pituitary adenoma and to investigate the mechanisms invo lved. Fifty-one patients (27 females and 24 males) with pituitary adenoma were ex amined. Nineteen (37.3%) of these patients (13 females and 6 males) had hea dache preoperatively. Most commonly, the headache was generalized (42.1%); overall headache was more frequent in the anterior half of the head (84.2%) . Seventeen (84.5%) patients had bilateral headache. Headache was usually d escribed as head heaviness (57.9%) and continuous (57.9%). Pulsating headac he and dull pain were only reported by the female patients and were mostly intermittent. The mean age of patients with headache was younger than that of those without headache. Headache was more prevalent in patients with a p rolactin-secreting adenoma (57.1%). There were no correlations between visu al disturbances, hypopituitarism, tumor size, or cavernous sinus invasion a nd headache. Hemorrhagic pituitary adenoma in 4 (57.1%) of 7 patients did n ot always contribute to headache, The headache was improved after surgery i n 14 (73.6%) of the 19 patients. In the male patients who survived postoper atively (5 of 6), headache was improved.