Development of Diabetic Complications despite the Absence of Growth Hormone in a Patient with Post-Pancreatectomy Diabetes

IN 1953 Poulsen described a patient with diabetes mellitus in whom retinopathy was ameliorated after postpartum pituitary infarction. 1 He pointed out the possible analogy of the events in his patient to the observation of Houssay that experimental diabetes in animals was modified by hypophysectomy. 2 Poulsen cautioned against extrapolating his observations to clinical areas. 1 Nevertheless, the hypothesis was advanced that some pituitary factor, possibly growth hormone, might be implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. 3 Over the next two decades, many hundreds of diabetic patients underwent some form of therapy designed to ablate or reduce pituitary function. 3 Although a beneficial effect . . .