Skip to main content

Lymphocytic (Autoimmune) Hypophysitis

Robert Baldor, md Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • A rare autoimmune disease that occurs when the pituitary gland is infiltrated with lymphocytes and plasma cells, leading to impaired hormonal secretion

  • Patients present with varying d...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Initial presentation is most often related to pituitary enlargement and includes the following:

    • Headache

    • Cranial nerve palsies

    • Visual field changes, often with bitemporal he...

TREATMENT

  • Spontaneous remission can occur (4)[C].

  • With acute presentation, the immediate concern is to treat the underlying hypopituitarism, decrease mass effect to preserve vision, reduce inflammatio...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Careful follow-up of hormone levels to determine appropriate hormone replacement, serial visual field testing, and annual imaging are recommende...

REFERENCES

1
Singhal  S, Singh  H, Furlong  K, et al. Lymphocytic hypophysitis. JHN J.  2010; 5(2): 16– 19.
2
Iuliano  SL, Laws  ...

CODES

ICD10

E23.0 Hypopituitarism 

SNOMED

  • 61701006 Lymphocytic hypopituitarism

  • 237707009 Lymphocytic hypophysitis of pregnancy (disorder)

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Suspect lymphocytic hypophysitis in patients presenting with headache and visual field impairments during or soon after pregnancy.

  • Lymphocytic hypophysitis is characterized by the prese...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

×