Pituitary Insufficiency Diagnosed After Coronavirus Disease-19: A Case Report
1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Lokman Hekim University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Radiology, Lokman Hekim University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
3Department of Internal Medicine and Critical Care, Lokman Hekim University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
J Clin Pract Res 2022; 44(3): 347-349 DOI: 10.14744/etd.2021.30676
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Abstract

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2 might affect the hypothalam-ic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This paper presents a rare case of pituitary insufficiency diagnosed after CoV disease (COVID)-19.
Case Report: On December 7, 2020, a 67-year-old male patient presented to the Endocrinology Department of Lokman Hekim University with weakness, weight loss, and abdominal pain lasting for 3 weeks. In his medical history, he had a positive real-time polymerase chain reaction test result for SARS-CoV-2 based on the nasopharyngeal swab analyzed on September 30. Central hypothyroidism, secondary adrenal insufficiency, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and a low dehy-droepiandrosterone-sulfate level were detected in the laboratory examinations. Steroid therapy was initiated.
Conclusion: Non-specific adrenal insufficiency symptoms such as fatigue and weakness, and psychosomatic symptoms can be seen during the course of COVID-19 or the post-COVID-19 period. Physicians should be aware about the systemic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and follow-up patients with a history of COVID-19 accordingly.