Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with insulin-resistant diabetes cured by pituitary tumor surgery
By Meij, B P et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2005·Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Melanotroph pituitary adenoma in a cat with diabetes mellitus.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old male cat was brought in for diabetes that was hard to control with insulin. The cat was very hungry and had a dull-looking coat. Tests showed high levels of a hormone called alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), and imaging revealed a tumor in the pituitary gland. After surgery to remove the tumor, the cat's symptoms improved significantly, and he no longer needed insulin.
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Abstract
A 13-year-old male, castrated, crossbred cat was referred for insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus. The cat had a ravenous appetite and a dull coat. Basal urinary corticoid/creatinine ratios were normal. In the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test there was no suppression of the (nonelevated) plasma cortisol concentration, whereas the (nonelevated) plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentration declined to low values. Basal plasma alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) concentrations were highly elevated (> 1,500 ng/liter). Computed tomography revealed a pituitary tumor originating from the pars intermedia (PI). After microsurgical transsphenoidal hypophysectomy, the clinical signs resolved and the cat no longer required insulin administration. Microscopic examination of the surgical specimen revealed a pituitary adenoma originating from the PI with infiltration into the neural lobe. The adenoma immunostained intensely positive for alpha-MSH and only weakly for ACTH. It is concluded that the ACTH-independent cortisol production was probably due to the (weak) glucocorticorticotropic effects of the extremely high plasma concentration of alpha-MSH and related peptides.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15657280/