Primary empty sella syndrome in a woman with metabolic syndrome presenting with syncopal attack: A case report

• Main Authors: E Musa, B Alonge, D Shok, W Stephen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
• Series: Nigerian Journal of Medicine
• Subjects: primary empty sella syndrome; metabolic syndrome; syncopal attack; headache
• Online Access: http://www.njmonline.org/article.asp?issn=1115-2613;year=2019;volume=28;issue=4;spage=536;epage=539;aulast=Musa;type=0

Background: Empty sella syndrome (ESS) is a disorder that is characterised by leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the sella turcica through a diaphragmatic sellae defect, leading to compression and flattening of the pituitary gland. It is usually asymptomatic and mostly incidentally detected during neuroimaging for other conditions. There is no data reporting a case of primary ESS in a woman with metabolic syndromepresenting with syncopal attack. Case report: A 62-year old, postmenopausal woman with metabolic syndrome, presented to our Endocrine clinic with the history of recurrent syncopal attack for the past 13 years and associated early morning headache and later diagnosed with primary empty sella syndrome. Conclusion: Primary empty sella syndrome should be keenly investigated for with high index of suspicion in women with metabolic syndrome presenting with syncopal attack and headache.