Key result
In postoperative patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma, ACTH deficiency was associated with a significantly higher LF/HF ratio (6.9 vs 1.9, P=0.005) during hypoglycemia compared to preserved ACTH function, indicating cardiac autonomic dysfunction.
Why the study?
Decreased HRV is linked to cardiac autonomic dysfunction, and hypopituitarism in NFPA is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, raising the question of whether postoperative hormone deficiencies alter HRV.
Does postoperative hormone deficiency alter heart rate variability in patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma?
Observational (n=22)
No
Does postoperative hormone deficiency alter heart rate variability in patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma?
Postoperative NFPA patients with ACTH deficiency or panhypopituitarism exhibit altered heart rate variability during hypoglycemia, suggesting cardiac autonomic dysfunction that may warrant cardiovascular risk assessment.
BACKGROUND: Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) has been reported to be associated with cardiac autonomic dysfunction. Hypopituitarism in nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) is often linked to increased cardiovascular mortality. We therefore hypothesized that postoperative NFPA patients with hormone deficiency have an elevated risk of HRV alterations indicating cardiac autonomic dysfunction. METHODS: A total of 22 patients with NFPA were enrolled in the study. Between 3 and 6 months after surgery, a combined pituitary function test (CPFT) was performed, and HRV was measured. The period of sleep before the CPFT was deemed the most stable period, and the hypoglycemic period that occurred during the CPFT was defined as the most unstable period. Changes in HRV parameters in stable and unstable periods were observed and compared depending on the status of hormone deficiencies. RESULTS: In patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency with other pituitary hormone deficiencies, the low frequency to high frequency ratio, which represents overall autonomic function and is increased in the disease state, was higher (P=0.005). Additionally, the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal interval, which decreases in the autonomic dysfunction state, was lower (P=0.030) during the hypoglycemic period. In panhypopituitarism, the low frequency to high frequency ratio during the hypoglycemic period was increased (P=0.007). CONCLUSION: HRV analysis during CPFT enables estimation of cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with NFPA who develop ACTH deficiency with other pituitary hormone deficiencies or panhypopituitarism after surgery. These patients may require a preemptive assessment of cardiovascular risk.
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Ha et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenoma (NFPA) (n=22). ACTH deficiency with other pituitary hormone deficiencies vs. Preserved ACTH function was evaluated on Low frequency to high frequency (LF/HF) ratio during hypoglycemia (p=0.005). In postoperative patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma, ACTH deficiency was associated with a significantly higher LF/HF ratio (6.9 vs 1.9, P=0.005) during hypoglycemia compared to preserved ACTH function, indicating cardiac autonomic dysfunction.
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