Pituitary apoplexy: considerations on a single center experience and review of the literature.

J Endocrinol Invest

Unit of Neurosurgery - Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.

Published: July 2016

Purpose: To present a single-center experience on pituitary tumor apoplexy and a review of literature focusing on predisposing and precipitating factors.

Methods: Clinical presentation of our series of cases. Contemporary published literature is also reviewed.

Results: The definition of this syndrome has not been consistent although now the majority of authors agree to definite it as an acute condition caused by hemorrhage or infarction of a pre-existing pituitary adenoma. Different predisposing and precipitating factors have been described in literature; among these antithrombotic and anticoagulant drugs, seem to play relevant roles. The clinical cases observed in our clinic confirm these data and suggest a probable association between elderly patients taking anticoagulant therapy and pituitary apoplexy adenoma.

Conclusion: Pituitary tumor apoplexy remains a challenging disease in relation to difficulties in correct diagnosis and thus in appropriate treatment. Antithrombotic/anticoagulant therapy may have an important role as precipitating factor. When a pituitary disorder is known, great care should be taken in the prescription of anticoagulant therapy.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40618-015-0424-2DOI Listing

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