April 29, 2013
Blast concussions could cause pituitary deficiencies in war vets
By Bobbi Nodell, UW Health Sciences/ UW Medicine
Many veterans suffering from blast concussions may have hormone deficiencies that mimic some of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, according to researchers with the Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington.
The researchers screened 35 veterans with blast injuries. They found that 42 percent had irregular hormone levels indicative of hypopituitarism, a condition that can often be controlled by replacing the deficient hormones.
?This could be a largely missed opportunity for successful treatment,? said Charles W. Wilkinson, study leader and a UW research associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences...
