Antipituitary antibodies after traumatic brain injury: is head trauma-induced pituitary dysfunction associated with autoimmunity?

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TANRIVERDİ F., DE BELLIS A., BIZZARRO A., SINISI A. A., BELLASTELLA G., PANE E., ...More

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY, vol.159, no.1, pp.7-13, 2008 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 159 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2008
  • Doi Number: 10.1530/eje-08-0050
  • Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.7-13
  • Erciyes University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating public health problem that may result in hypopituitarism. However, the mechanisms responsible for hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction due to TBI are still unclear. Although the antibodies against neurons have been demonstrated in injured animal studies, investigations regarding the occurrence of antipituitary antibodies (APAs) in patients with TBI are lacking in the literature. In order to investigate whether autoimmune mechanisms could play a role in the pituitary dysfunction after TBI, we have planned this study aimed at investigating the presence of APA at the third year of TBI and association between the TBI-induced hypopituitarism and APA.