Assessment of bleeding disorders in Sheehan's syndrome: are bleeding disorders the underlying cause of Sheehan's syndrome?

Sheehan's syndrome (SS) is an adenopituitary insufficiency caused by hypovolemia secondary to excessive blood loss during or after childbirth. However, the mechanism of postpartum hemorrhage and ischemia is not clear. We aimed to evaluate the bleeding disorders among patients with SS, in comparison with healthy controls. In addition, we investigated underlying causes in postpartum hemorrhage that begin the event. The present study was conducted at the Dicle University School of Medicine. Forty-eight patients with SS and 50 age-matched female healthy controls were included. Biochemical and hormonal variables were measured, as was platelet function by means of closure times (PFA-100 testing using collagen plus epinephrine and collagen plus ADP), von Willebrand factor (vWF) level, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), international normalized ratio (INR), and coagulation factors. Although PT and INR were significantly higher in patients with SS (both P < 0.01), aPTT and levels ...