Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Grave´s disease (GD) is the most prevalent cause of hyperthyroidism, leading to inflammation of the thyroid gland and sometimes to an enlargement of the nearest lymph nodes caused by that same inflammatory process. Peripheral lymphadenopathy of doubtful cause presents a diagnostic dilemma. There are many potential causes: biopsy is sometimes the best way to reach a definitive diagnosis. Tuberculous adenitis is usually regional and mainly affects nodes of the...

Pituitary adenomas account for ~10–15% of intracranial tumors and result in morbidity due to both altered hormonal patterns as well as side effects of therapy. Currently, great attention has been given to natural coumpouds from functional foods. Among these substances, we highlight that the consumption of carotenoids is associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases including cancer and vascular diseases. In this study we evaluate the influence of β-carotene and ly...

Introduction: Recently, noninsulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycaemia syndrome (NIPHS) has been described following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery in morbidly obese patients. It has been proposed that hypoglycaemia might be a consequence of a failure to adaptively decrease insulin secretion after surgery. The authors present a case of a morbidly obese patient with severe hypoglycaemias beginning 3 months after gastric banding surgery.Case report: A 60-ye...

Introduction: Obesity has been associated with increased androgenicity in women, however there are conflicting data on this subject. Objectives: To determine whether any androgen is independently related to body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) or age. To access if there is an association between elevated plasma androgen levels and the presence of either morbid obesity or metabolic syndrome (MS).Design and Methods: A total of 148 obese women we...

A positive association between thyrotropin (TSH) secretion and body-mass index (BMI) was previously reported. There are many studies concerning thyroid function in obesity, and some of them describe higher TSH levels in obese subjects.Evaluation of the hypothyroidism prevalence in a sample of obese women in their first obesity appointment at Hospital São João.Anthropometric variables and serum levels of TSH, free triiodot...

Background: Somatostatin analogues are very useful in the treatment of symptomatic neuroendocrine tumours, but effects on proliferation remain unclear. Overexpression of the proto-oncogene protein kinase Akt has been demonstrated in certain endocrine tumours, and activates downstream proteins including mTOR and p70S6K, which play a significant role in cell growth and proliferation. We have therefore explored the site of action of somatostatin in causing inhibition of prolifera...

Ectopic ACTH secretion due to malignant tumours is a rare cause of hypercortisolism. Induced metabolic disturbances are often serious and the management of such patients may be difficult. We report the case of a 50-yr-old man who had a sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) removed 2 years ago (Dec/2003). Calcitonin and CEA levels remained high postoperatively and a CT scan revealed liver metastases. In August 2005 he was referred to Endocrinology with symptoms of muscular...

Introduction: Diabetes is a major risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Previous studies have shown contradictory results regarding the effect of prediabetes in the development of CKD.Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the SPRINT trial (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) involving 9361 patients without diabetes and with an increased cardiovascular risk (clinical or subclinical cardiovascular disease, estimated glomerular filtr...

Introduction: Turner Syndrome (TS) is associated with cardiovascular anomalies and account for a threefold higher mortality in these women. The most common findings are congenital malformations of the heart (CMH), aortic dissection, valvular heart disease (VHD), hypertension and ischemic heart disease. It has been suggested that the ocurrence of cardiovascular disease in TS women is related to their karyotype and possibly to growth hormone (GH) treatment. Our study aimed to as...

Introduction: Adult-onset autoimmune diabetes (AID) has two different phenotypes: classic type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), with insulin requirement just after diagnosis, and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). According to the Immunology of Diabetes Society, LADA diagnostic criteria are: age of onset of 30 years or more, any islet autoantibody, absence of insulin requirement for at least 6 months. The purpose of this study is to characterize patients with AID followed...