A Case of Sheehan's Syndrome Presenting Central Diabetes Insipidus

Sheehan's syndrome occurs as a result of ischemic pituitary necrosis due to severe postpartum hemorrhage. The manifestations of this clinical syndrome are most often caused by a deficiency in the hormones produced by the anterior pituitary gland, whereas the neurohypophysis is usually preserved but can be involved in severe cases that manifest as diabetes insipidus. This is a report of Sheehan's syndrome that manifested with diabetes insipidus as presenting symptom 2 month's after delivery. The patient suffered massive bleeding, so received a blood transfusion. A combined pituitary stimulation and water deprivation test revealed deficiencies of not only anterior pituitary hormones, such as growth hormone and prolactin, but also of anti-diuretic hormone. We report this case, with a review of the literature. (J Kor Soc Endocrinol 21:333~337, 2006)