Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: Manipulation of human brown adipose tissue (BAT) represents a novel therapeutic option for diabesity. The aim of our study was to develop and test a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based method to identify human BAT and delineate it from white adipose tissue (WAT), and validate it by providing immunohistochemical confirmation.Methods: Initial scanning with 18F-FDG PET–CT radiotracer uptake on a 25-year-old Caucasian female wit...

Background: SOX2 is a member of the SOX family of transcription factors (SRY-related high-mobility group (HMG) box). Heterozygous, de novo, loss-of-function mutations were initially reported in patients with bilateral anophthalmia/microphthalmia, developmental delay, male genital tract abnormalities, oesophageal atresia and sensorineural hearing loss. We have recently reported a number of SOX2 mutations in patients with anterior pituitary hypoplasia and hy...

Background: The etiology of hypospadias may be at the crossroad of genetics and environment. The study of these factors taken individually failed to find an unequivocal explanation in most cases. But the interactions between exposure to endocrine disruptors chemicals (EDC) and genetic background have not yet been studied. We thus aimed to find a genetic susceptibility to the environment in hypospadias.Methods: Through a multicenter prospective comparativ...

Background: Risk factors for fragility fractures were assessed in several prediction models (e.g. FRAX®, Garvan, FRISBEE, …). The predictors of a shorter ‘time to first fracture’ and its impact on imminent fracture risk, however, remain to be determined.Methods: The concept of ‘time to first fracture’ between inclusion in the FRISBEE cohort (‘Fracture RIsk Brussels Epidemiological Enquiry’; 3560 postmenopausal wom...

Hyperandrogenemia (elevated testosterone, T) and metabolic dysfunction are hallmarks of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can have varying degrees of ovulatory dysfunction. Adipocyte hypertrophy, induced by obesity and hyperandrogenemia, has been suggested to contribute to the systemic low-grade inflammation thought to be one of the drivers leading to reproductive dysfunction in women with PCOS. However, whether hyperandrogenemia and adipocyte hypertrophy per se induce a...

Introduction: Pituitary inflammation (Hypophysitis) is rare in paediatric population and usually results in pituitary enlargement and hypopituitarism. Hypophysitis can be either primary (most commonly lymphocytic, granulomatous or xanthomatous disease) or secondary (consequent to systemic diseases, immunotherapy or alternative sella-based pathologies). We describe the clinical presentation and management of apparent primary lymphocytic hypophysitis in an adolescent girl. Case ...

Context: Individualized fracture risk may help to select patients requiring a pharmacological treatment for osteoporosis. FRAX and the Garvan fracture risk calculators are the most used tools, though their external validation has shown significant differences in their risk prediction ability.Objective and Methods: Using data from the FRISBEE study, a cohort of 3560 post-menopausal women aged 60-85 years, we aimed to construct original 5-year fracture ris...

Background: Capecitabine-Temozolomide (CapTem) is an effective oral chemotherapy regimen for NETs. Both drugs are radiosensitizers. A feasibility study of integrated CapTem and Y90 transarterial radioembolization (TARE) in patients with grade 2 neuroendocrine tumor (NET) liver metastases reported encouraging objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS). This study expands that report to a larger cohort with long-term oncologic follow-up.<p class="abste...

Background: Capecitabine and temozolomide (CapTem) are classic radiosensitizers used in combination with radiation therapy for many cancers. A feasibility study of integrated CapTem and Y90 transarterial radioembolization (TARE) for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) suggests synergy with PFS of 31 months exceeding historical controls. The impact of duration of chemotherapy after TARE on PFS is not known.Methods: 36 subjects with liver-domianant grade 2 metast...

Ceramides (Cer), which are known to be altered in plasma before the onset of coronary artery disease (CAD), have been proposed as new markers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Serum Cer18:1/C16:0, Cer18:1/C18:0 and Cer18:1/C24:1 to Cer18:1/24:0 indexes are proposed to be indicative of CAD. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is a visceral adipose tissue, surrounding and in direct contact with the myocardium and coronary arteries, which volume is considered a risk factor for C...