Two cases of Wegener's granulomatosis involving the pituitary

Abstract

We describe two patients with Wegener's granulomatosis involving the pituitary. The diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis was inferred from the histological appearance of biopsy tissue and the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies with cytoplasmic distribution in the first case, in which disease remained confined to the pituitary, causing anterior and posterior pituitary dysfunction. In the second case the diagnosis was made by the progressive involvement of other organ systems, compatible histology and the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies with cytoplasmic distribution. In neither patient did posterior pituitary dysfunction respond to immunosuppressive therapy, despite remission of other features of systemic vasculitis. Panhypopituitarism in association with isolated pituitary Wegener's granulomatosis has not previously been described.