Galactorrhea associated with lymphocytic adenohypophysitis. Case report.

A young woman, 14 months post partum, committed suicide when she noticed milk discharging from her nipples and thought she was pregnant. At autopsy the uterus was found to be non-gravid and the pituitary gland enlarged. Histological examination revealed lymphocytic adenohypophysitis, a rarely identified condition usually associated with hypopituitarism. Immunoperoxidase studies of the pituitary demonstrated prolactin cell hyperplasia. None of the other known causes of galactorrhea was present suggesting that this may be a new addition to the differential diagnosis of galactorrhea. To this date lymphocytic adenohypophysitis has been reported only in women, the majority within 14 months postpartum, and is usually identified only at autopsy.