Hypopituitarism
partial or complete loss of anterior function
that may result from any lesion that destroys the pituitary or hypothalamus or that interferes with the delivery of releasing and inhibiting factors to the anterior hypothalamus.
GH and gonadotropins (FSH, LH) are typically lost early.
Pituitary adenomas are the most common cause of panhypopituitarism.
An insulin stress test (IST) is primarily used to assess the integrity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and it is considered the gold standard for diagnosing hypopituitarism. In this test, insulin-induced hypoglycaemia should stimulate the pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which in turn stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. If there's a deficiency in ACTH due to hypopituitarism, cortisol response will be inadequate.
Basics
Contraindications