Addisonian Crisis after Missed Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Hypopituitarism

J Clin Med. 2015 May 15;4(5):965-9. doi: 10.3390/jcm4050965.

Abstract

We report a case of a previously undiagnosed panhypopituitarism initially presenting as a full-blown Addisonian crisis with hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, hypotension and neuropsychological symptoms, more than 30 years after a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The patient also displayed clearly visible pathognomonic clinical signs of long-standing pituitary dysfunction. The case highlights the importance of being aware of endocrine sequelae even decades after serious TBI.

Keywords: Addisonian crisis; hypocortisolism; hypopituitarism; neuroendocrine dysfunction; traumatic brain injury.