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Sheehan's syndrome history and symptoms

Introduction

Overview

Overview

The most common symptoms of Sheehan’s sydrome are including lactation failure and failure to resume menstruation after parturition. Common symptoms include hot flushes, decreased pubic/axillary hair, hypotension, hypoglycemia, features of hypothyroidism, hypoadrenalism, and hypogonadism.

History and Symptoms

History and Symptoms

Clinical presentation in Sheehan’s syndrome depends upon following factors:

(a) The onset

(b) The severity of hormonal deficiency

  • Complete hormonal deficiency: May present even in normal circumstances.
  • Partial hormonal deficiency: May present only in times of stress.

(c) The number of deficient hormones

Patients of hypopituitarism may be asymptomatic or show symptoms which can be nonspecific or specific for the deficient hormone, such as an adrenal crisis or profound hypothyroidism. Patients can also present with symptoms suggestive of a mass lesion. Metastasis usually involves posterior pituitary initially thus presenting as diabetes insipidus. Patients with sellar mass may present with a headache, diplopia, or visual loss.

History

Patients with Sheehan’s syndrome may have a positive history of:

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms of Sheehan’s syndrome are including:

Less Common Symptoms

Less common symptoms of Sheehan’s syndrome are including:

Non-specific symptoms

Patients with Sheehan’s syndrome may present with the following non-specific symptoms:

Acute hypopituitarism (days/weeks) Chronic hypopituitarism (months/years)

Symptoms of deficient hormones

In Sheehan’s syndrome, either one or a few of the pituitary gland hormones are decreased (hypopituitarism) or all of the hormones (panhypopituitarism) may be decreased. In this table, each hormone deficiency symptoms are listed.[18]

Pituitary gland Hormone Symptoms of deficiency
Anterior pituitary Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH) The most critical hormonal deficiency.[19][20]
Growth Hormone (GH)
Gonadotropin hormones:
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
Prolactin
Posterior pituitary Oxytocin
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
References

References

  1. ↑ _SYMPTOMA.com_1-0|1.0 _SYMPTOMA.com_1-1|1.1 “Sheehan Syndrome (Sheehan’s Syndrome) | SYMPTOMA.com”.
  2. ↑ Gei-Guardia O, Soto-Herrera E, Gei-Brealey A, Chen-Ku CH (2011). “Sheehan syndrome in Costa Rica: clinical experience with 60 cases”. Endocr Pract. 17 (3): 337–44. doi:10.4158/EP10145.OR. PMIDĀ 21041170.
  3. ↑ Kaufmann P, Lax SF, Radner H, Eber B, Leuger A, Smolle KH (1995). “Severe hypotension and coma secondary to unrecognized chronic anterior hypophysitis”. Intensive Care Med. 21 (10): 847–9. PMIDĀ 8557875.
  4. ↑ Shoib S, Dar MM, Arif T, Bashir H, Bhat MH, Ahmed J (2013). “Sheehan’s syndrome presenting as psychosis: a rare clinical presentation”. Med J Islam Repub Iran. 27 (1): 35–7. PMCĀ 3592941. PMIDĀ 23483784.
  5. ↑ Chihaoui M, Yazidi M, Chaker F, Belouidhnine M, Kanoun F, Lamine F, Ftouhi B, Sahli H, Slimane H (2016). “Bone Mineral Density in Sheehan’s Syndrome; Prevalence of Low Bone Mass and Associated Factors”. J Clin Densitom. 19 (4): 413–418. doi:10.1016/j.jocd.2016.02.002. PMIDĀ 26993664.
  6. ↑ Hale B, Habib AS (2014). “Sheehan syndrome: acute presentation with severe headache”. Int J Obstet Anesth. 23 (4): 383–6. doi:10.1016/j.ijoa.2014.04.011. PMIDĀ 25223643.
  7. ↑ Liang L, Liu JB, Chen FQ, Zhao J, Zhang XL (2017). “Refractory hypotension induced by Sheehan syndrome with pituitary crisis: A case report”. Exp Ther Med. 13 (5): 2097–2101. doi:10.3892/etm.2017.4188. PMCĀ 5443209. PMIDĀ 28565814.
  8. ↑ George A, Phillips M, Sweeney L, Colombo C (2015). “A 56 year old woman with syncope, weakness, and refractory hypotension”. BMJ. 350: h3387. PMIDĀ 26113625.
  9. ↑ Bouznad N, Mghari GE, Hattaoui ME, Ansari NE (2017). “[Atypical and rare cardiac revelation about Sheehan’s syndrome: A report of three cases]”. Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) (in French). doi:10.1016/j.ancard.2016.12.007. PMIDĀ 28129900.
  10. ↑ Zhao D, Zhang Q, Lu J, Zhang G, Lu H, Huang J, Shan Q (2014). “Sick sinus syndrome associated with hypopituitarism: a case report and literature review”. J Biomed Res. 28 (5): 429–32. doi:10.7555/JBR.28.20130099. PMCĀ 4197395. PMIDĀ 25332716.
  11. ↑ Cao L, Lu Z, Zheng Y (2014). “Sheehan’s syndrome with cardiac arrest: a case report and review of the literature”. Neuro Endocrinol. Lett. 35 (5): 352–4. PMIDĀ 25275267.
  12. ↑ Parikh R, Buch V, Makwana M, Buch HN (2016). “The price of a 15-year delay in diagnosis of Sheehan’s syndrome”. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 29 (2): 212–3. PMCĀ 4790577. PMIDĀ 27034575.
  13. ↑ Weiner P, Ben-Israel J, Plavnick L (1979). “Sheehan’s syndrome with diabetes insipidus. A case study”. Isr. J. Med. Sci. 15 (5): 431–3. PMIDĀ 447511.
  14. ↑ Collins ML, O’Brien P, Cline A (1979). “Diabetes insipidus following obstetric shock”. Obstet Gynecol. 53 (3 Suppl): 16S–17S. PMIDĀ 424117.
  15. ↑ Atmaca H, Tanriverdi F, Gokce C, Unluhizarci K, Kelestimur F (2007). “Posterior pituitary function in Sheehan’s syndrome”. Eur. J. Endocrinol. 156 (5): 563–7. doi:10.1530/EJE-06-0727. PMIDĀ 17468192.
  16. ↑ Bakiri F, Benmiloud M, Vallotton MB (1984). “Arginine-vasopressin in postpartum panhypopituitarism: urinary excretion and kidney response to osmolar load”. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 58 (3): 511–5. doi:10.1210/jcem-58-3-511. PMIDĀ 6693547.
  17. ↑ Jialal I, Desai RK, Rajput MC (1987). “An assessment of posterior pituitary function in patients with Sheehan’s syndrome”. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf). 27 (1): 91–5. PMIDĀ 3652485.
  18. ↑ Fleseriu, Maria; Hashim, Ibrahim A.; Karavitaki, Niki; Melmed, Shlomo; Murad, M. Hassan; Salvatori, Roberto; Samuels, Mary H. (2016). “Hormonal Replacement in Hypopituitarism in Adults: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline”. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 101 (11): 3888–3921. doi:10.1210/jc.2016-2118. ISSNĀ 0021-972X.
  19. ↑ Burke, C.W. (1985). “Adrenocortical insufficiency”. Clinics in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 14 (4): 947–976. doi:10.1016/S0300-595X(85)80084-0. ISSNĀ 0300-595X.
  20. ↑ Bancos I, Hahner S, Tomlinson J, Arlt W (2015). “Diagnosis and management of adrenal insufficiency”. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 3 (3): 216–26. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(14)70142-1. PMIDĀ 25098712.
  21. ↑ Murray RD, Columb B, Adams JE, Shalet SM (2004). “Low bone mass is an infrequent feature of the adult growth hormone deficiency syndrome in middle-age adults and the elderly”. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 89 (3): 1124–30. doi:10.1210/jc.2003-030685. PMIDĀ 15001597.
  22. ↑ Miller KK, Biller BM, Hier J, Arena E, Klibanski A (2002). “Androgens and bone density in women with hypopituitarism”. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 87 (6): 2770–6. doi:10.1210/jcem.87.6.8557. PMIDĀ 12050248.

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Iqra Qamar M.D.[2]