To assess the long-term prognosis for women with prolactinoma after selective transsphenoidal adenomectomy, we followed 44 patients for 6.2 +/- 1.5 years. Group 1 (28 patients) had microprolactinomas, and Group 2 (16 patients) had macroprolactinomas. After surgery, normal plasma prolactin levels, resumption of menses, and cessation of galactorrhea were observed in 24 Group 1 patients (85 per cent) and 5 Group 2 patients (31 per cent). Hyperprolactinemia recurred in 12 of the 24 Group 1 patients and in 4 of the 5 Group 2 patients after 4 +/- 1.3 and 2.5 +/- 1.6 years of remission, respectively. There was no radiologic evidence of tumor recurrence in any patient, and no relation was found between the occurrence of pregnancy after surgery and the recurrence of hyperprolactinemia. Clinical and biologic features before surgery could not predict the long-term outcome. However, the immediate postoperative level of plasma prolactin was significantly lower in patients in whom normal prolactinemia (6.4 +/- 1.1 ng per milliliter) was maintained than in those who relapsed (11.7 +/- 1.5 ng per milliliter) (P less than 0.02). We conclude that recurrence of hyperprolactinemia after successful surgery is frequent but delayed. The immediate postoperative level of plasma prolactin may be a predictive risk factor.
Over 15 yr, 24 patients underwent transsphenoidal pituitary surgery for Cushing's disease with a median follow-up of 12 months. Cures included 7 patients with normal sella turcicas (6 microadenomas), 6 patients with focal depressions (6 microadenomas) of the sella (grade I), and 3 patients (3 adenomas) with enlarged sellas (grade II). Three patients with sella destruction (grades III and IV), 2 with normal sellas, and 1 with focal sella depression (grade I) were not cured. Two apparent cures (microadenomas) recurred. Tumor histology revealed 19 basophilic adenomas; electron microscopy (14 tumors) and immunochemical studies (10 tumors) revealed only ACTH cells. Circadian rhythm returned in 6 cured patients. Impotence (in 2), amenorrhea (in 7), and galactorrhea (in 3) resolved in affected cured patients. The major surgical complication was hemorrhage at the operative site (3 patients). Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is a valuable method for managing Cushing's disease in many patients.
Summary. Immunoreactive insulin, like inulin, quickly equilibrates with interstitial fluid, as evidenced by recovery in thoracic duct lymph in man. Insulin-like activity not accounted for by immunoreactive insulin behaves as a large protein and is confined to the vascular compartment.
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