Pituitary apoplexy secondary to thrombocytopenia due to dengue hemorrhagic fever: a case report and review of the literature

Pituitary Apoplexy in Patients with Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors (PitNET)

Various complications of pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNET) are reported, and an intratumor hemorrhage or infarct underlying pituitary apoplexy (PA) represents an uncommon, yet potentially life-threatening, feature, and thus early recognition and prompt intervention are important. Our purpose is to overview PA from clinical presentation to management and outcome. This is a narrative review of the English-language, PubMed-based original articles from 2012 to 2022 concerning PA, with the exception of pregnancy- and COVID-19-associated PA, and non-spontaneous PA (prior specific therapy for PitNET). We identified 194 original papers including 1452 patients with PA (926 males, 525 females, and one transgender male; a male-to-female ratio of 1.76; mean age at PA diagnostic of 50.52 years, the youngest being 9, the oldest being 85). Clinical presentation included severe headache in the majority of cases (but some exceptions are registered, as well); neuro-ophthalmic panel with nausea and vomiting, meningism, and cerebral ischemia; respectively, decreased visual acuity to complete blindness in two cases; visual field defects: hemianopia, cranial nerve palsies manifesting as diplopia in the majority, followed by ptosis and ophthalmoplegia (most frequent cranial nerve affected was the oculomotor nerve, and, rarely, abducens and trochlear); proptosis (N = 2 cases). Risk factors are high blood pressure followed by diabetes mellitus as the main elements. Qualitative analysis also pointed out infections, trauma, hematologic conditions (thrombocytopenia, polycythemia), Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and T3 thyrotoxicosis. Iatrogenic elements may be classified into three main categories: medication, diagnostic tests and techniques, and surgical procedures. The first group is dominated by anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs; additionally, at a low level of statistical evidence, we mention androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer, chemotherapy, thyroxine therapy, oral contraceptives, and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. The second category includes a dexamethasone suppression test, clomiphene use, combined endocrine stimulation tests, and a regadenoson myocardial perfusion scan. The third category involves major surgery, laparoscopic surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, mitral valvuloplasty, endonasal surgery, and lumbar fusion surgery in a prone position. PA in PitNETs still represents a challenging condition requiring a multidisciplinary team from first presentation to short- and long-term management. Controversies involve the specific panel of risk factors and adequate protocols with concern to neurosurgical decisions and their timing versus conservative approach. The present decade-based analysis, to our knowledge the largest so far on published cases, confirms a lack of unanimous approach and criteria of intervention, a large panel of circumstantial events, and potential triggers with different levels of statistical significance, in addition to a heterogeneous clinical picture (if any, as seen in subacute PA) and a spectrum of evolution that varies from spontaneous remission and control of PitNET-associated hormonal excess to exitus. Awareness is mandatory. A total of 25 cohorts have been published so far with more than 10 PA cases/studies, whereas the largest cohorts enrolled around 100 patients. Further studies are necessary.

Pituitary Apoplexy Secondary to Thrombocytopenia due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: Report of a Rare Case and Literature Review

Purpose

To report a 16-year-old female patient with pituitary apoplexy in the setting of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection-related thrombocytopenia in the absence of preexisting pituitary macroadenoma.

Methods

The patient had been admitted because of respiratory complications of COVID-19 infection and developed thrombocytopenia, intense headache, and symptoms of cavernous sinus syndrome.

Results

Urgent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain depicted a pituitary apoplexy.

Conclusion

This case indicated that thrombocytopenia due to COVID-19 could be a predisposing factor for pituitary apoplexy in the absence of underlying pituitary disease.

COVID-19 and hypopituitarism

Besides the pulmonary manifestations caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an emerging endocrine phenotype, which can heavily impact on the severity of the syndrome, has been recently associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients with pituitary diseases or the pituitary gland itself may also be involved in COVID-19 clinical presentation and/or severity, causing pituitary apoplexy.Moreover, hypopituitarism is frequently burdened by several metabolic complications, including arterial hypertension, hyperglycemia, obesity and vertebral fractures, which have all been associated with poor outcomes and increased mortality in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2.This review will discuss hypopituitarism as a condition that might have a bidirectional relationship with COVID-19 due to the frequent presence of metabolic comorbidities, to the direct or indirect pituitary damage or being per se a potential risk factor for COVID-19. Finally, we will address the current recommendations for the clinical management of vaccines in patients with hypopituitarism and adrenal insufficiency.

Rapidly Progressive Pituitary Apoplexy in a Patient with COVID-19 Disease Treated with Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery

This report describes a case of pituitary apoplexy with rapidly evolving hemorrhage in a 74-year-old female with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease. The patient presented with severe headache and mild respiratory symptoms, with laboratories concerning for pituitary hypofunction. Brain imaging demonstrated a sellar mass concerning for a pituitary adenoma with ischemic apoplexy. She subsequently developed visual deficits within 24 hours of presentation, and repeat imaging demonstrated evolving hemorrhage and new mass effect on the optic chiasm. She was successfully managed with urgent endoscopic endonasal surgery despite her COVID-19 positive status by taking special intraoperative precautions to mitigate SARS-CoV2 transmission risk. Only a handful of cases of pituitary apoplexy have been reported in association with COVID-19 disease, and even fewer reports exist of endonasal procedures in such cases. We discuss the potential implication of COVID-19 in the occurrence of pituitary apoplexy, in addition to the safety and success of endonasal surgery in this population.

Pituitary apoplexy and panhypopituitarism following acute leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a common tropical febrile illness which may manifest with the hepatorenal syndrome and systemic hemorrhagic manifestations. Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but life-threatening condition characterized by a hemorrhage within the pituitary gland or a pituitary adenoma. Apoplexy is very rarely associated with some inducing events such as infectious diseases such as dengue hemorrhagic fever, Hantaan virus, Puumala virus have also been reported to cause pituitary apoplexy. We present the first case of pituitary apoplexy in a patient who was being treated for leptospirosis and discuss the possible mechanisms of apoplexy in the scenario presented. We also review other reports of infectious causes that may result in pituitary apoplexy.

Coronavirus disease 2019 infection and pituitary apoplexy: A causal relation or just a coincidence? A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Pituitary tumor apoplexy (PA) is an emergency condition caused by hemorrhage or infarction of the preexisting adenoma. Many factors are currently well-known to predispose to PA. However, during the period of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, case reports of PA associated with COVID-19 infection have been sequentially published. To the best of our knowledge, four cases have been reported so far in the English literature. We herein report the fifth case of this association and review the pertinent literature.

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 55-year-old male patient with confirmed COVID-19 infection presented by progressive decrease in visual acuity and oculomotor nerve palsy. His medical history is notable for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and pituitary macroadenoma resection 11 years ago. He was on hormonal replacement therapy for panhypopituitarism that complicated the surgery. Previous magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies were consistent with enlarging residual pituitary adenoma. During the current hospitalization, computed tomography revealed hyperdensity of the sellar and suprasellar areas. MR imaging revealed PA in a recurrent large adenoma. Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection was uneventfully undertaken with near total excision of the adenoma and partial improvement of visual loss and oculomotor palsy. Histopathological examination demonstrated classic features of PA. However, his chest condition progressed and he had to be transferred to COVID-19 intensive care unit in the referring hospital where he was intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. One week later, the patient unfortunately passed away due to complications of severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

CONCLUSION

We report the fifth case of PA associated with COVID-19 infection. Based on our patient's clinical findings, review of the other reported cases, as well as the available literature, we put forth a multitude of pathophysiological mechanisms induced by COVID-19 that can possibly lead to the development of PA. In our opinion, the association between both conditions is not just a mere coincidence. Although the histopathological features of PA associated with COVID-19 are similar to PA induced by other etiologies, future research may disclose unique pathological fingerprints of COVID-19 virus that explains its capability of inducing PA.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Pituitary Apoplexy: A Single-Center Case Series and Review of the Literature

Background

Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a rare, but life-threatening, condition characterized by pituitary infarction and hemorrhage, most often in the setting of a preexisting adenoma. The risk factors and mechanisms associated with PA are poorly understood. Although neurovascular manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection have been documented, its association with PA has not yet been determined.

Methods

From a prospectively collected database of patients treated at a tertiary care center for pituitary adenoma, we conducted a retrospective medical record review of PA cases during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 to December 2020. We also conducted a literature review to identify other reported cases.

Results

We identified 3 consecutive cases of PA and concomitant COVID-19 infection. The most common symptoms at presentation were headache and vision changes. The included patients were successfully treated with surgical decompression and medical management of the associated endocrinopathy, ultimately experiencing improvement in their visual symptoms at the latest follow-up examination. COVID-19 infection in the perioperative period was corroborated by polymerase chain reaction test results in all the patients.

Conclusions

With the addition of our series to the literature, 10 cases of PA in the setting of COVID-19 infection have been confirmed. The present series was limited in its ability to draw conclusions about the relationship between these 2 entities. However, COVID-19 infection might represent a risk factor for the development of PA. Further studies are required.

COVID-19 and the pituitary

BACKGROUND

Despite COVID-19 being identified as severe respiratory viral infection, progressively many relevant endocrine manifestations have been reported greatly contributing to the severity of the clinical presentation. Systemic involvement in COVID-19 is due to the ubiquitous expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, responsible for the entry in the cells of SARS-CoV-2, Several reports in humans and animal models showed a significant ACE2 mRNA expression in hypothalamus and pituitary cells. Moreover, higher mortality and poorer outcomes have been widely described in COVID-19 patients with obesity, diabetes and vertebral fractures, which are all highly prevalent in subjects with pituitary dysfunctions.

AIM

To review the main endocrine manifestations of COVID-19 with their possible implications for pituitary diseases, the possible direct and indirect involvement of the pituitary gland in COVID-19, the impact of COVID-19 on the management of established pituitary diseases which can be already at increased risk for worse outcomes and on neurosurgical activities as well as vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Our review underlines that there could be a specific involvement of the pituitary gland which fits into a progressively shaping endocrine phenotype of COVID-19. Moreover, the care for pituitary diseases need to continue despite the restrictions due to the emergency. Several pituitary diseases, such as hypopituitarism and Cushing disease, or due to frequent comorbidities such as diabetes may be a risk factor for severe COVID-19 in affected patients. There is the urgent need to collect in international multicentric efforts data on all these aspects of the pituitary involvement in the pandemic in order to issue evidence driven recommendations for the management of pituitary patients in the persistent COVID-19 emergency.

A Rare Case of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Associated With Pituitary Apoplexy Without Comorbidities

Pituitary apoplexy is a medical and surgical emergency caused by hemorrhage or infarction of the hypophysis, which typically occurs within a pituitary adenoma. It is usually characterized by severe (often thunderclap) headache, visual disturbances, cranial nerve impairments, and hormonal deficiencies. We herein report a case of a previously healthy woman with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection associated with pituitary apoplexy. The plausible pathophysiological mechanisms of pituitary apoplexy in infectious coronavirus disease 2019 are discussed.

A Rare Case of Pituitary Apoplexy Secondary to Dengue Fever-induced Thrombocytopenia

Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is an endocrine emergency resulting from hemorrhage or infarction within a pituitary tumor or non-tumorous pituitary gland. The most important predisposing factors for PA are cerebral angiographic procedures, systemic hypertension, surgeries, head injury, coagulopathies, and drugs. Thrombocytopenia is a risk factor for PA. Dengue fever causes thrombocytopenia and there are reported cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever predisposing to PA. But there are no reported cases of dengue fever per se predisposing to PA, and we report such a case in an 85-year-old elderly male who presented with features suggestive of a hypertensive emergency and, on evaluation, was found to have a pituitary incidentaloma and dengue fever. During the hospital course, he developed acute III^rd nerve palsy and, when evaluated, was found to have PA. He responded well to medical management with steroids and thyroxine. Prompt initiation of treatment is of utmost importance in pituitary apoplexy, as it can result in adverse events, including loss of vision and even death from hemodynamic compromise.

Pituitary Apoplexy Following Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

BACKGROUND

Pituitary apoplexy is an uncommon neurosurgical emergency that may be the initial presentation of undiagnosed pituitary adenomas. Though the exact pathogenesis is unclear, there appears to be an association between pituitary apoplexy and medical interventions that disturb the blood supply and venous drainage of the abnormal sellar region. We present the first case of pituitary apoplexy occurring after an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

CASE DESCRIPTION

A 43-year-old male who was several hours status post ERCP presented with a severe headache, bilateral ptosis, and multidirectional ophthalmoplegia. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a hemorrhagic and necrotic sellar mass with suprasellar extension compressing the optic chiasm and bilateral extension displacing the cavernous carotid arteries laterally. The patient underwent emergent endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal resection of the underlying pituitary tumor apoplexy with eventual resolution of his cranial nerve palsies.

CONCLUSIONS

Although pituitary apoplexy has been recognized as a sequela of surgical and laparoscopic procedures, it should also be considered in less invasive gastrointestinal procedures which may alter the intraabdominal pressures, such as ERCP. Early detection of this unusual complication allows for rapid diagnosis and timely surgical intervention in select cases to prevent debilitating cranial nerve palsies, preserve visual function, and retain normal pituitary function.

Management dilemmas in a rare case of pituitary apoplexy in the setting of dengue hemorrhagic fever

Background:

Pituitary apoplexy occurs due to infarction or hemorrhage, within a pituitary adenoma or a nontumorous pituitary gland and can have catastrophic consequences. Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a severe manifestation of the spectrum of dengue virus infection and is characterized by high-grade fever, thrombocytopenia, hemorrhagic tendencies, and increased vascular permeability. Cases of incidentalomas complicated by DHF and presenting with apoplexy are extremely rare.

Case Description:

We describe the case of a 45-year-old gentleman who suffered an attack of pituitary apoplexy while being treated for DHF. The issues pertaining to the management of hydrocephalus, timing of surgical intervention, and treatment of electrolyte imbalances encountered in the dual setting of DHF and pituitary apoplexy are discussed with reference to the outcome in our case.

Conclusion:

Although patients suffering from DHF harbor multiple factors, which may be precipitants of pituitary apoplexy, the association between these two conditions is rare and only few case reports document their coexistence. We review the pertinent literature and discuss the management dilemmas faced by us while dealing with these dual pathological states.