Autoimmune hypopituitarism in patients with coeliac disease: Symptoms confusingly similar

Coeliac disease does not always respond properly to a gluten-free diet, and treatment may be complicated by an underlying autoimmune endocrine disorde r. We report three cases of hypopituitarism in patients with coeliac diseas e who seemed to have incomplete dietary response. The first patient had dia betes and suffered from hypoglygaemic events: the second had muscular atrop hy of unknown origin while the third had growth failure. None had a pituita ry mass, suggesting that hypopituitarism was of autoimmune origin. Overall condition improved only after replacement therapy for the underlying hormon e deficiency: this association should thus be recognized.