Pituitary apoplexy masquerading as functional decline in an older person

Abstract

We report the case of an older lady who was admitted to a tertiary teaching hospital with sub-acute functional decline of two months' duration, which was initially attributed to a concomitant urinary tract infection. Further investigations, however, revealed the diagnosis of pituitary apoplexy with central hypocortisolism. Subsequent treatment with physiological doses of steroids improved patient's function and overall well-being. This report adds to the sparse literature on pituitary apoplexy in the older adults and emphasizes the non-specific presentation of this clinical syndrome.