Am J Psychiatry 1979; 136:1074-1077
Copyright © 1979 by American Psychiatric Association
Electroconvulsive therapy for iatrogenic hypothalamic-hypopituitarism (CRF-ACTH type)
FN Pitts Jr and CW Patterson
A 41-year-old man with hypothalamic hypopituitarism (CRF-ACTH type) that
persisted for 2 years after discontinuation of exogenous dexamethasone was
treated with bilateral ECT for severe chronic depression. The depression
improved only evanescently after 17 ECT sessions but the
hypothalamic-pituitary suppression cleared completely and permanently,
based on responses to four metyrapone stress tests in a 2-year follow-up
period. ECT may be an effective treatment for persistent
hypothalamic-pituitary suppression, even in the absence of a psychiatric
disorder.
