Socioeconomic predictors of case presentations and outcomes in 225 nonfunctional pituitary adenoma resections

Racial and ethnic disparities in the presentation size and timing of pituitary adenomas resected via endoscopic endonasal approach

KEY POINTS

In a single-center cohort of pituitary adenoma patients, non-White race independently predicted larger tumor size at initial presentation. Uninsured patients suffered a significantly higher rate of pituitary apoplexy at initial presentation. Geographically distant care appeared to present a greater barrier for non-White and Hispanic patients relative to their White and non-Hispanic counterparts.

Update on Current Evidence for the Diagnosis and Management of Nonfunctioning Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors

Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are the third most frequently diagnosed intracranial tumors, with nonfunctioning PitNETs (nfPitNETs) accounting for 30% of all pituitary tumors and representing the most common type of macroPitNETs. NfPitNETs are usually benign tumors with no evidence of hormone oversecretion except for hyperprolactinemia secondary to pituitary stalk compression. Due to this, they do not typically present with clinical syndromes like acromegaly, Cushing's disease or hyperthyroidism and instead are identified incidentally on imaging or from symptoms of mass effects (headache, vision changes, apoplexy). With the lack of effective medical interventions, first-line treatment is transsphenoidal surgical resection, however, nfPitNETs often have supra- or parasellar extension, and total resection of the tumor is often not possible, resulting in residual tumor regrowth or reoccurrence. While functional PitNETs can be easily followed for recurrence using hormonal biomarkers, there is no similar parameter to predict recurrence in nfPitNETs, hence delaying early recognition and timely management. Therefore, there is a need to identify prognostic biomarkers that can be used for patient surveillance and as therapeutic targets. This review focuses on summarizing the current evidence on nfPitNETs, with a special focus on potential new biomarkers and therapeutics.

Predictors of Prolonged Length of Stay After Pituitary Adenoma Resection: A Large Cohort Analysis Using the National Inpatient Sample (2016-2019)

OBJECTIVE

In this nationwide retrospective study, the authors aimed to identify demographic, clinical, and baseline health risk factors predictive of a prolonged length of stay (PLOS) for patients with pituitary adenomas (PAs).

METHODS

The National Inpatient Sample dataset from 2016 to 2019 was utilized to identify all included hospitalizations for PA resection as identified by the appropriate diagnosis-related group code. Comorbidities were classified based on the Charlson Comorbidity Index mapping of ICD-10 codes, and PLOS was identified as any stay longer than 3 days. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models, accounting for the sample design, were built to determine factors associated with PLOS and emergent surgery.

RESULTS

Overall, 30 945 patients were included in this study with 10 535 patients having PLOS. Female patients experienced an increased odds of PLOS (odds ratio [OR]: 1.29; P < .001). Black patients (OR: 1.49; P < .001) and Hispanic patients (OR: 1.30; P = .003) had 1.49 times and 1.30 times the odds of PLOS compared to White patients, respectively. Compared to patients insured by Medicare, patients insured by Medicaid had an increased odds of PLOS (OR: 1.36; P = .007) as well as emergent surgery (OR: 5.40; P < .001). When stratified by emergent surgeries, Black patients (OR: 1.89; P < .001), Hispanic patients, (OR: 2.14; P < .001), and patients on Medicaid insurance (OR: 1.71; P < .001) were at an increased risk of emergent procedures. However, female sex (OR: 0.65; P < .001), upper third quartile (OR: 0.73; P = .017), and fourth quartile (OR: 0.69; P = .014) of patients categorized by zip code income were at decreased odds of an emergent procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Black and Hispanic patients, patients with Medicaid insurance, and patients of low socioeconomic status patients are at significantly higher risk of emergent PA resection and PLOS. Efforts to prevent emergent surgeries and shorten hospitalization after pituitary surgery may need to primarily focus on patient groups with select sociodemographic characteristics.