Neuroendocrine monitoring

Abstract

Severe TBI may impact the hypothalamic-pituitary-peripheral hormone system during the acute phase but may also lead to long-term consequences in terms of persistent posttraumatic hypopituitarism. Many factors have been shown to influence the normal adaptive hypothalamo-pituitary response to acute critical illness including mechanisms affecting e.g. metabolism, hormone binding, and production. In TBI, there is an additional risk of structural damage causing direct interruption of the normal hypothalamic-pituitary function, with the risk of persistent damage. In the acute phase after TBI, it is particularly difficult to distinguish the two components.