Is hormone secretion by pituitary adenomas characterized by increased disorderliness and spikiness but more regular pulsing?
This study extends the understanding of disorganized hormone secretion by hyperfunctioning pituitary adenomas. The new findings are increased spikiness in all 3 tumor groups and increased pulsing regularity in GH- and ACTH-secreting adenomas. The mechanisms behind the marked pattern irregularity and the selective normalization by surgical and medical therapies are not established yet but may include diminished feedback signaling in addition to the anatomical and functional disorganization of intrapituitary cell networks.
UNB scales had acceptable reliability and preliminary evidence of validity for adults.