Abstract
Primary empty sella (PES) is generally not associated with overt endocrine abnormalities, although mild hyperprolactinemia and, in children, deficient GH secretion have been reported. The aim of this multi-center collaborative study was to evaluate basal and stimulated GH secretion in a large series of adult PES patients. The study group consisted of 51 patients [41 women and 10 men, age range: 20-78 yr; (mean±SD) 47±11 yr]; results were compared with those in normal subjects (Ns) (Ns: no.=110, 55 women, age: 20-50 yr, 37±14 yr), and in hypopituitaric patients (HYP) with GH deficiency (HYP: no.=44, 17 women, age: 20-72, 49±16 yr). Baseline IGF-I levels and GH responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia (insulin tolerance test, ITT) and/or GHRH+arginine (ARG) stimulation tests were evaluated. PES patients were also subdivided according to BMI in lean (BMI 2 no.=22) or obese (BMI >28 kg/m2 no.=29). PES patients had serum total IGF-I concentrations (mean±SE: 142.2±9.6 ng/ml) higher than HYP patients (77.4±6.4 ng/ml, p
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 329-333 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Journal of Endocrinological Investigation |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 4 |
Publication status | Published - 2002 |
Keywords
- Adult GH deficiency
- Empty sella
- GH
- GHRH+arginine
- IGF-I
- ITT
- Obesity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology