Endocrines (Jun 2021)

Autoimmune Hypophysitis with Late Renal Involvement: A Case Report

  • Stefano Iuliano,
  • Maria Carmela Zagari,
  • Margherita Vergine,
  • Alessandro Comi,
  • Michele Andreucci,
  • Gemma Patella,
  • Stefania Giuliano,
  • Sandro La Vignera,
  • Antonio Brunetti,
  • Antonio Aversa,
  • Emanuela A. Greco

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/endocrines2020016
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2, no. 2
pp. 160 – 166

Abstract

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We report a case of a 50-year-old male admitted to the Endocrinology Unit because of persistent headaches, nausea, feeling tired, sudden weight loss, cold intolerance, decreased appetite, and lack of sex interest. Diagnostic workup showed a 6-millimeter pituitary tumor without signs of compression, and a condition of progressive panhypopituitarism. After 12 months of hormone replacement therapy, the patient was hospitalized because of sudden weight gain, periorbital-peripheral edema, severe dyslipidemia, hypertension, and proteinuria. Corticosteroid therapy was shifted from oral to continuous intravenous infusion, and once the diagnosis of “immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis with mesangial deposits suggestive for membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type IIIIgG4-positive” was made, the immunosuppressant mycophenolate (1500 mg/day) was started. After a 6-month follow-up, the complete resolution of renal symptoms was accompanied by the disappearance of a pituitary lesion and the patient was back to prior hormone replacement therapy. Autoimmune hypophysitis (AH) is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disease of the pituitary gland that can impair hormone secretion and function. IgG4-hypophysitis is rare and is usually associated with other IgG4-related diseases. Herein, we describe a rare case of AH associated with late renal disease, and without any other organ involvement.

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