Screening for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 in patients with recognized pituitary adenoma

A total of 79 consecutive patients with pituitary tumours were screened for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1). The 79 patients included 21 patients with acromegaly, nine with Cushing's disease, 18 with prolactinomas, three with mixed pituitary adenomas (GH and PRL), and 28 patients with no detectable hypersecretion of hormones. The screening consisted of: (1) a family history, (2) a uniform medical history of the patient using a standard questionnaire, and (3) hormonal evaluation including measurements of the serum levels of insulin, gastrin, glucagon, somatostatin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and pancreatic polypeptide. Ionized calcium and glucose concentration in serum were also measured. We found no patients with the MEN-1 syndrome. In one patient, we found a transient elevation of serum concentrations of pancreatic polypeptide for which we have no explanation. In another patient, the serum gastrin concentration was elevated secondary to achlorhydria. No other endocrine disorders were found, and no patients had relatives with recognized endocrine pancreatic tumours, primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT), or pituitary adenomas.