[Cushing's disease and corticotroph adenoma: anterior pituitary function before and after trans-sphenoidal...

Cushing's disease is characterized by an overproduction of ACTH inducing an hypersecretion of corticosteroids. We assessed the non-corticotrophic pituitary functions before and after microsurgical resection of the corticotrophic adenoma.

We reviewed retrospectively a series of 98 patients (19 males, 79 females) undergoing transsphenoidal surgery between 1974 and 2001. Prolactin levels, somatrotrophic, gonadotrophic and thyroidotrophic functions were assessed and compared before and after resection of the adenoma.

Before surgery, we observed an elevation of prolactin and a reduction of the GH, TSH, LH and FSH levels. These modifications were not linked to the volume of the adenoma but depended on the systemic effect of the hypercorticism or on local paracrine mechanisms. Selective adenomectomy usually restored altered corticotrophic and also, unlike (partial or total) hypophysectomy, the non-corticotrophic functions.

Non-corticotrophic functions are often altered in Cushing's disease but can be restored after selective adenomectomy.