Anterior pituitary hormone levels in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with pituitary and parasellar tumors.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of growth hormone, prolactin (PRL), adrenocorticotropin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and the glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit were determined in 30 patients with pituitary and parasellar tumors. Although many of the patients had elevated hormone levels, no differentiation between patients with intrasellar tumors and those with pituitary tumors with suprasellar extension or primary suprasellar tumors could be made based upon the absolute CSF hormone concentration. A highly significant correlation between serum and CSF PRL concentrations was found (r = 0.87; P less than 0.001), suggesting that CSF PRL is derived from the serum. No correlation was found between the serum and CSF concentrations of the other anterior pituitary hormones.