ACTH deficiency, hyperprolactinemia and benign intracranial hypertension

Abstract

A 26-year-old female with ACTH deficiency, hyperprolactinemia and benign intracranial hypertension is reported. Her symptoms of adrenocortical insufficiency and persistent amenorrhea appeared after her last child birth one year previously. During an infectious disease she became critically ill with hypotension and was treated with iv penicillin. A bacterial infection was, however, not diagnosed. After 4 days she developed symptoms and signs of intracranial hypertension. She improved gradually within 10 days without specific therapy against the intracranial pressure. Endocrine investigation disclosed a secondary adrenocortical failure. The lesion appeared to be located in the pituitary gland since plasma ACTH and cortisol did not respond to CRH. A moderately elevated serum PRL was found, whereas the pituitary reserves of TSH, GH, LH and FSH were normal, as was computed tomographic scan of the pituitary gland. The patient was given cortisone substitution therapy and recovered immediately. Within the following year she regained normal menstruations and became pregnant. A possible autoimmune etiology of her isolated ACTH deficiency precipitated in the puerperium is discussed.