Endocrine Abstracts

The hypothalamic hormone growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), has been shown to function via its receptor splice variants as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor in normal and malignant cell lines and tissues, besides positively regulating growth hormone (GH) synthesis and secretion from the pituitary. Moreover, GHRH antagonists are known to suppress the proliferation of a wide variety of cancer cells through mechanisms yet to be fully elucidated. Aim of this study was to ...

Research indicates that low testosterone is associated with CAD in men. Evidence suggests that men with hypotestosteronemia and concomitant CAD may benefit from physiological testosterone replacement therapy (PTRT). The mechanism by which testosterone produces these cardio-protective effects and the role of the androgen receptor remains largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether testosterone modulates atheroma formation via its classical signalling pathway...

Background: Acute right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) on echocardiography (ECHO) is critical for risk stratification in pulmonary embolism (PE). Plasma BNP, a consecrated marker of left ventricular dysfunction, could represent a valuable biomarker of RVD in PE.Aim and objective: Assessment of plasma BNP levels in patients with PE in relationship with right ventricular (RV) function evaluated by ECHO.Methods: Prospective study of 70...

Common carotid artery intima media thickness (CCA-IMT), aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity-PWV) and central pulse pressure (PP) are early markers of atherosclerosis. The influence of hormonal replacement treatment (HRT) on arterial parameters in menopausal women remains to be investigated.We used baseline data of 665 menopausal women with hypercholesterolemia, screened for the CASHMERE study, a 12-month double-blind randomized trial co...

Context: Ezetimibe and simvastatin are often used in combination to lower blood lipid levels. The consequences of this combination at the molecular level are unknown.Objective: To examine their effects on the LDL receptor (LDLR) protein expression and on the LDLR and HMG-CoA reductase gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).Design, setting and participants: Prospective, randomized, parallel 3-group trial. Twent...

Objective: Androgen may be detrimental in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) in women. We investigated possible associations between the (TAAAA)n polymorphism of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) gene promoter, which influences transcriptional efficiency of the SHBG gene and the severity of CAD in women.Methods: One hundred and twenty women (37–82 yrs), undergoing coronary angiography. CAD severity, history of angina, myocardial infa...

Background: Hyponatremia (Na+≤134 mmol/L), the most common electrolyte derangement, is caused by inappropriate vasopressin-mediated water resorption in the kidney. Treating symptomatic hyponatremia is difficult and risky; as difficult as maintaining normal sodium levels. We tested if tolvaptan, an oral vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, improves hyponatremia and self-reported health outcomes.Methods: Two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, plac...