Panhypopituitarism is a growth hormone deficiency that can result in stunted growth, dwarfism, and other major health problems. This condition is caused by the shut down or limited functioning of the pituitary gland, which is located in the brain. Normally, this gland produces important hormones, but the production can be disrupted due to cancer, genetics, or other factors. In adults, the hormone deficiency can lead to obesity, low blood sugar levels, and general weakness. Panhypopituitarism in children is most noticeable due to the child’s stunted growth, which can be quite severe when the deficiency is left untreated.
The symptoms of panhypopituitarism vary depending on the age of the person affected. In infants, the symptoms of this condition may include defects of the face, ambiguous genitalia, and seizures. Older children with panhypopituitarism usually have symptoms such as an abnormally slow growth rate and slow sexual maturation. Panhypopituitarism in adults generally leads to obesity; changes in the skin, hair, and nails; and a decrease in libido and sexual function. Many cases of this condition in adults go undiagnosed, and are therefore left untreated; the person usually leads a relatively normal life, though he or she tends to be unnaturally short and rarely experiences sexual arousal.
Many conditions, injuries, and infections can lead to panhypopituitarism, but all of them can affect the pituitary gland in a way that leads to abnormally low hormone levels. One way the pituitary gland can be damaged is because of a syndrome called Sheehan’s syndrome, which usually occurs due to a loss of blood during pregnancy and that leads to low blood pressure and cell death. Some people are born with this syndrome because of other associated conditions, issues during birth, or an unsuccessful development of the pituitary gland. Direct injuries to the brain, such as trauma, radiation therapies, and brain surgery, can also cause panhypopituitarism by harming the pituitary gland.
One method of treating panhypopituitarism is replacing the hormones that are not being produced. These treatments are highly dependent upon how low the hormone levels are, and what life circumstances the patient is currently undergoing. Often, hormone replacement therapies do not completely eradicate issues caused by not having adequate hormone levels, and other associated conditions must be treated directly. Another important aspect of treating panhypopituitarism is fixing the original cause, which may involve surgery or radiation to fight a tumor, medications to fight infections, as well as other treatments for many possible underlying conditions.