Gradual progress of ACTH deficiency in a child with panhypopituitarism associated with pituitary stalk transection.

Abstract

We present here a 13-year-old male with hypopituitarism which accompanied an insidious and gradual progress of ACTH deficiency. ACTH deficiency finally led to an overt crisis of adrenal insufficiency at the age of 12 years and 7 months. This patient is unique because the insidious and gradual progress has been proved by not only the laboratory results but also the clinical course for over 13 years. The cause of panhypopituitarism including ACTH deficiency is thought to have existed before or at the delivery because of the stalk transection seen on the magnetic resonance image (MRI). At the crisis, his laboratory results suggested that he had secondary adrenal insufficiency, whereas he showed normal adrenal function proved by the insulin tolerance test (ITT) at the age of 4 years. Abrupt crisis of secondary adrenal insufficiency developed at the age of 12 years, although he had been well until the crisis.