The study looked at six people with Sheehan's syndrome (a pituitary problem) and tested how their hormones responded to various challenges, including a dose of GRF‑1‑29, which normally makes the pituitary release growth hormone. All patients showed severe pituitary damage, and the GRF test helped show how the gland was functioning.

We evaluated six patients in whom a diagnosis of Sheehan's syndrome had been made. The plasma levels of the following hormones were measured: basal thyroxine (T4), estradiol and cortisol; and also follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), growth hormone (GH), thyrotropin (TSH), prolactin (PRL) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), basally and after acute challenge with LH releasing hormone (LHRH), GRF (1-29)NH2 or insulin hypoglycemia, TSH releasing hormone (TRH) and lysine-8-vasopressin, respectively. Two patients underwent chronic LHRH stimulation by pulsatile subcutaneous administration with infusion pump. In 4 cases, computed tomography (CT) was performed although cranial X-ray study was normal. A severe and generalized pituitary involvement was found in all patients, 3 of whom had diabetes mellitus. Probably, more insidious cases go unnoticed. The presence of asymptomatic partial empty sella (ES) in all the CTs that were carried out raises the possibility that it is another evolutive feature of SS.