Life activities of elderly patients with operated nonfunctional pituitary adenoma

To evaluate the clinical findings of nonfunctional pituitary adenomas in the geriatric population, functional status, cognitive function, quality of life, frailty, and incidence of anxiety and depression during treatment and follow-up.

We evaluated operated nonfunctional pituitary adenoma (NFA) cases aged 65 years and older followed up in our clinic between 2010 and 2022. Patients without pituitary adenoma who were followed up in the geriatrics outpatient clinic were included as the control group in the study. Data on clinical, endocrinological, pathological, and radiological findings, as well as on treatment methods, were taken from the files. Bioimpedance was used to assess muscle strength, walking speed, and muscle to fat ratio in patients. In addition, quality of life, anxiety, depression, cognitive function, and vulnerability were assessed.

The study included 43 elderly patients diagnosed with NFA and 60 elderly patients without NFA. The mean ages, sex ratios, and body mass indices (BMI) of patients diagnosed with NFA and the control group were similar (age: 70.9 ± 0.66; 73.1 ± 0.8, p = 0.6; female/male: 24/19, 35/25, p = 0.1; BMI: 28.3 ± 3.9/28.5 ± 4.8, p = 0.9, respectively). Cognition status (MMT: 28;29, p=0.002), frailty scores (2[2-3]; 1[1-2], M[IQR], p<0.001), sarcopenia rates (62%; 30%, p=0.007) was worse in patients with NFA.

In the study comparing patients diagnosed with surgical pituitary NFA with patients of similar age and comorbidity, the frailty score and rate of sarcopenia were higher and their cognition was worse. The findings indicate that complications from surgery and postoperative treatment in patients with pituitary NFA make elderly patients more vulnerable. We emphasize that patients with NFA in this age group should be examined more carefully.