Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Novel treatment options are required for patients with adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs). mTOR-inhibitors are anti-neoplastic drugs that target the mTOR-pathway.Aim: To describe the expression of the mTOR-pathway in normal and pathological adrenocortical tissues.Methods: We evaluated mRNA expression levels of mTOR, S6K and 4EBP1 in 10 normal adrenals (NA), 11 adrenal hyperplasias (AH), 19 adrenal adenomas (ACA) and 26 AC...

Introduction: Italy is considered a country with high prevalence of 25 OH vitamin D deficiency. Changes in vitamin D serum levels were linked with the onset and progression of several diseases, including osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases. The hypopituitary patients show several comorbidities like cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis.Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in hypopituitary patients.Pat...

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted disease characterized by metabolic and reproductive disorders associated with hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance. Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline derivative alkaloid extracted from chinese medicinal herbs that has been used as an insulin sensitizer.BBR could represent a potential therapeutic tool for PCOS.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of BBR on the clinical, metabol...

Objective: The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the risk of persistent glucose impairment after gestational diabetes (GDM) is increased in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Research design and methods: The prospective case–control study included 42 pregnant patients with PCOS and GDM and 84 pregnant control patients with GDM but without clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovaries and oligo-anovu...

Aggressive pituitary tumors are classically defined as pituitary tumors with large size, rapid growth and massive invasion of surrounding anatomical structures. This is a group of pituitary tumors with biological behavior between pituitary adenomas and carcinomas and includes a new group of pituitary tumor, defined atypical adenoma, characterized by the presence of invasive growth and combination of increased mitotic activity and a Ki-67 labeling index >3%. The aim of this...

Introduction: In a large, randomized, double-blind, phase III trial in patients with acromegaly, pasireotide LAR was significantly more effective than octreotide LAR at inducing GH<2.5 μg/l and normal IGF1 after 12 months of therapy (core study). The crossover phase of this trial allowed patients without full biochemical control at month 12 to switch treatments. This abstract reports the results of patients who switched therapy.Methods: Medicall...

Patients with hyperprolactinemia have impaired bone metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD) partially represents bone’s health.To evaluate vitamin D levels, PTH, Ca and P, BMD and bone morphometry in patients with prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas.Forty-four patients (30 W, 40±11 years, BMI 27.6±5 kg/m2) underwent to lumbar and femoral DEXA, to vertebral morphometry by X-ray and was calculated the S...

Introduction: Percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation (RTA) is a new promising therapeutic approach to manage compressive thyroid nodules (TNs).Aim: To investigate effectiveness and safety of RTA in the treatment of compressive TNs in patients not receiving surgery or radioiodine.Study design: Forty patients (31–86 years) with compressive TNs were enrolled. Twenty-two patients had non-toxic TNs and 18 had toxic TNs and we...

Ovarian carcinoma (OC) is associated with poor prognosis and low survival rate. Eligible treatment for advanced OC is surgery followed by chemotherapy based on a combination of Platinum and Taxol, but unfortunately long-term outcome of such therapy is disappointing. Moreover, systemic administration of cytotoxic agents is usually accompanied by a series of side effects. On the basis of this evidence, more selective and tumour cell-targeted therapeutic approaches are warranted....

Introduction: Pasireotide is a multi-receptor targeted somatostatin analogue with high affinity for sst5, which is commonly expressed in corticotroph adenomas, thus having potential as therapy for Cushing’s disease.Methods: One hundred and sixty-two patients with persistent/recurrent or de novo (if not surgical candidates) Cushing’s disease were randomized (double-blind) to pasireotide 600 μg (n=82) or 900 μg ...