Spontaneous Pituitary Destruction in Diabetes Mellitus

The case is reported of a 39-year-old diabetic female in whom signs and symptoms of pituitary failure developed. At necropsy, massive destruction of the anterior lobe of the pituitary and pathologic changes in the vessels of the pituitary stalk were found. A review of the literature reveals that in a surprisingly high proportion of cases no cause for destruction of the pituitary in diabetics has been found. The question is raised whether diabetic vascular changes may predispose to aseptic necrosis of the pituitary.