DERMATITIS-HERPETIFORMIS CURED BY HORMONE REPLACEMENT FOR PANHYPOPITUITARISM

Dermatitis herpetiformis is an autoimmune skin disorder frequently ass ociated with gastrointestinal diseases. We report a 53-year-old male w ith a four-year history of refractory dermatitis herpetiformis associa ted with hypopituitarism. Endocrine testing, ophthalmological examinat ion and magnetic resonance imaging revealed hypopituitarism due to a n on-functioning pituitary macroadenoma. Following transsphenoidal remov al of the pituitary tumor and appropriate hormone replacement, complet e remission of the skin disorder was obtained. We discuss the permissi ve role of panhypopituitarism in the course of dermatitis herpetiformi s.