Hormonal gradients between inferior petrosal sinuses in various pituitary diseases

Acta Endocrinol (Copenh). 1992 May;126(5):419-24. doi: 10.1530/acta.0.1260419.

Abstract

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the existence of a multihormonal gradient between the inferior petrosal sinuses in various pituitary diseases: Cushing's disease (8 cases), acromegaly (4 cases), prolactinomas (7 cases), GH, PRL-secreting adenoma (1 case), functionless adenoma (2 cases), empty sella (3 cases) and in non-tumoral hyperprolactinemia (5 cases). A significant intersinus gradient (more than 1.4:1) was recorded for GH, ACTH and PRL in 16 patients (80%), but in only 9 patients (45%) out of the 20 with hormone-secreting tumors for TSH, FSH and LH. Moreover, of the 10 patients in the remaining groups, only in two cases was a significant intersinus gradient present: one for GH and one for LH. In conclusion, the finding of a multihormonal release in the inferior petrosal sinus ipsilateral to the adenoma is reported, for the first time, in patients with GH- and PRL-secreting adenomas. The possible explanation for such a finding may be either an increased blood flow in this site of sampling or a pituitary multihormone release through a paracrine mechanism primed by the tumoral hypersecreted hormone. In addition, the pulsatile secretory pattern and the short half-life of polypeptide hormones may contribute to better demonstrate this phenomenon in respect to glycoprotein hormones.

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / blood
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Blood Specimen Collection / methods
  • Cranial Sinuses*
  • Hormones / blood*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Pituitary Diseases / blood*
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / blood
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Hormones