Presenting symptoms and endocrine dysfunction in Rathke cleft cysts - a two-centre experience

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Neuroscience
• Oncology

Background:

• Rathke cleft cysts (RCC) are developmental abnormalities of the pituitary gland, often found incidentally.
• While typically asymptomatic, RCCs can manifest as headaches, visual disturbances, or pituitary dysfunction.
• Limited data exists on RCC presentation within the Polish population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the clinical presentation, endocrine dysfunction, and co-occurring conditions in Polish patients with Rathke cleft cysts.
• To investigate the relationship between cyst size and pituitary function.
• To identify common comorbidities associated with RCC.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records from 102 patients diagnosed with RCC between 2006 and 2021.
• Data collected included presenting symptoms, endocrine evaluations, and other diagnosed conditions.
• Hospitals involved were Heliodor Swiecicki Clinical Hospital in Poznan and Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin.

Main Results:

• The cohort comprised 72% females with a mean age of 43 years; median cyst diameter was 7 mm.
• Common symptoms included headache, vertigo, and visual impairment; hormonal abnormalities (30%) and hyperprolactinemia (23%) were frequent.
• Overweight/obesity, metabolic disturbances, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and multinodular goiter were prevalent comorbidities.

Conclusions:

• Rathke cleft cysts predominantly affect females and can lead to diverse symptoms and hormonal imbalances.
• Comprehensive clinical and endocrine assessment is crucial for all RCC patients, irrespective of cyst size.
• A significant association between RCC, metabolic disorders, and thyroid diseases warrants further research.