Human Reproduction, Vol. 15, No. 11, 2388-2389,
November 2000
© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Turner's syndrome with concomitant hypopituitarism: Case report
Endocrine Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
The unique case of a young woman with concomitant pituitary insufficiency and gonadal dysgenesis due to Turner's syndrome is described. At the age of 17 years, when first examined elsewhere, this patient was prepubertal and short and a diagnosis of growth hormone deficiency was made. One year later, while on growth hormone (GH) substitution, thyrotrophin deficiency and hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism were confirmed and thyroxine and sex steroid substitution therapy was initiated. Upon evaluation in our clinic, at the age of 30 years, the low final height achieved with the GH substitution therapy, a number of clinical characteristics and the absence of ovarian tissue on ultrasound led to examination of the patient's karyotype, which revealed concurrent gonadal dysgenesis due to Turner's syndrome. This case illustrates that the co-existence of primary and secondary hypogonadism may obscure and delay the diagnosis of Turner's syndrome, a diagnosis which alters the counselling of the patient from the reproductive perspective.
Key words: growth hormone deficiency/hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism/pituitary insufficiency/short stature/Turner's syndrome
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece.E-mail: atsatsou{at}cc.uoi.gr