Pituitary and SARS CoV-2: An unremitting conundrum

There is increased interest related to the impact of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) on the endocrine system and in particular on the pitui-tary gland. Over the course of the severe infection with acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there are both acute and delayed effects on the pituitary, related to infection and/or treatment. Hypopituitarism, pituitary apoplexy and hypophysitis have been all re-ported, as well as arginine vasopressin deficiency (diabetes insipidus) and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion. Furthermore, patients with acromegaly, Cushing's disease and hypopi-tuitarism are theoretically at increased risk of complications with COVID-19 and require close monitoring. Evidence regarding pituitary dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 continues to be gathered, as the breadth and depth of knowledge also continues to rapidly evolve. This review summarizes data analysis to date on the possible effects of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination on patients with normal pituitary function and patients with known pituitary pathology. Though clinical systems were significantly affected, it seems there is no overall loss of biochemical control in patients with certain pituitary pathologies.& COPY; 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

There is increasing interest in understanding how COVID-19 affects the endocrine system, specifically the pituitary gland. Studies have shown that COVID-19 can lead to various pituitary dysfunctions, such as hypopituitarism, pituitary apoplexy, and hypophysitis. Patients with pre-existing pituitary conditions, such as acromegaly, Cushing's disease, and hypopituitarism, may have an increased risk of complications with COVID-19. Further research is still being conducted to fully understand the impact of COVID-19 on pituitary function.