Diagnosis and Treatment > Signs and Symptoms > Diplopia

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Despoina Manousaki Department of Pediatrics, Endocrine Service, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Cheri Deal Department of Pediatrics, Endocrine Service, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Jean Jacques De Bruycker Department of Pediatrics, Immunology Service, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Philippe Ovetchkine Infectious Disease Division, Department of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Claude Mercier Surgery Department, Neurosurgery Service, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Nathalie Alos Department of Pediatrics, Endocrine Service, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Summary

Cystic sellar lesions are a rare cause of hypopituitarism and extremely rare in the pediatric age group. The differential diagnosis is large and includes both primary pituitary abscesses and cystic components on pre-existing lesions, such as adenoma, craniopharyngioma, Rathke's cleft cyst, leukemia, granulomatous disease and lymphocytic hypophysitis. In the absence of a definitive diagnosis, treatment can be challenging. We report a case of a 15-year-old female, who presented with headaches, altered consciousness and diplopia after a molar extraction, for which she had received oral antibiotics. Broad-spectrum i.v. antibiotics were given for presumed meningitis. Blood cultures failed to identify pathogens. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed a pituitary cystic lesion. Endocrine studies revealed abnormal pituitary function. In the absence of a therapeutic response, the patient underwent a transsphenoidal biopsy of the pituitary gland, which yielded a purulent liquid, but cultures were negative. Histopathology showed lymphocytic infiltrates but no neutrophils, compatible with an inflammation of autoimmune or infectious origin. High-dose glucocorticoid therapy was started and pursued, along with i.v. antibiotics, for 6 weeks, leading to clinical and radiological improvement but with persistence of endocrine deficits. In conclusion, this is a case of secondary panhypopituitarism due to a cystic pituitary lesion, with a differential diagnosis of lymphocytic hypophysitis vs abscess in a context of decapitated meningitis. Combination therapy with antibiotics and glucocorticoids is a legitimate approach in the face of diagnostic uncertainty, given the morbidity, and even mortality, associated with these lesions.

Learning points

  • It is not always easy to differentiate primary cystic sellar lesions (such as a primary infectious pituitary abscess) from cystic components on pre-existing lesions (such as adenoma, craniopharyngioma, Rathke's cleft cyst, leukemia or lymphocytic hypophysitis).

  • Because of the absence of specific symptoms and of immunohistochemical and serum markers, response to glucocorticoids can be the only way to differentiate lymphocytic hypophysitis from pituitary lesions of another origin. In addition, microbiological cultures are negative in 50% of cases of primary infectious sellar abscesses, thus the response to antibiotic treatment is often the key element to this diagnosis.

  • A short course of high-dose glucocorticoids combined with antibiotics is not harmful in cases where there is no diagnostic certainty as to the origin of a cystic sellar mass, given the morbidity and mortality associated with these lesions.

  • This approach may also diminish inflammation of either infectious or autoimmune origin while ensuring that the most likely pathogens are being targeted.

Open access
M A W Hermans
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B M L Stelten Department of Neurology, Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Weg door Jonkerbos 100, 6532SZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

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H R Haak
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W W de Herder Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Gravendijkwal 230, 3015CE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

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M W Dercksen
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Summary

This paper reports on two patients with a long-standing diagnosis of an ENETS stage IV neuroendocrine tumour (NET) of the small intestine who developed neurological symptoms. The first patient only had bulbar symptoms and tested positive for acetylcholine receptor antibodies. The second patient had more classical symptoms of fatigable diplopia and muscle weakness of the legs, but no detectable antibodies. The diagnosis of paraneoplastical myasthenia gravis (MG) was postulated. Both patients were treated with pyridostigmine for MG and octreotide for the NETs. Interestingly, treatment of the NETs resulted in improvement of myasthenic symptoms. Paraneoplastic MG has been described to occur with certain malignancies, mainly thymoma. Herein, we prove that the association with gastrointestinal NETs, however, rare, is also one to be considered by clinicians dealing with either of these diseases. The pathogenesis has yet to be elucidated.

Learning points

  • NETs are rare malignancies with a wide variety of symptoms.

  • Paraneoplastic MG can occur with various types of malignancies.

  • Herein, we provide evidence of paraneoplastic MG in association with a grade IV NET of the small intestine.

  • Treatment of the NETs resulted in remission of myasthenic symptoms in one patient.

Open access