Endocrine Abstracts

We investigated the direct effects of the somatostatin analog octreotide on hallmarks of autophagy and of cell viability and metabolic activity in rat pituitary tumor cells (GH1 and GH3 cells). The Western blot analysis of cell lysates suggested that octreotide (100 nM) treatment could induce changes in hallmarks related to autophagy activation (increased LC3-I protein lipidation) and to enhanced autophagic flux (SQSTM1/p62 protein downregulation) in pituitary tumor cells in d...

Introduction: Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) requires an accurate diagnosis, patient-tailored treatments and long-term management. To define the unmet needs of patients with CS, a consensus among a panel of Italian endocrinologists was promoted. The panel involved 57 specialists with expertise in CS management.Methods: The endocrinologists were identified by convenience sampling. The survey was built around a set of statements formulated after literature r...

Introduction: Acromegaly is a rare, serious disease caused by the presence of a pituitary adenoma secreting an excessive amount of growth hormone (GH), which leads to a consequent increase in circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, and excessive skeletal growth and soft tissue enlargement. It is usually managed by surgery and/or treatment with somatostatin analogs (SSA). The ACRONIS study (CSOM230CIC05) will provide real-world evidence on the efficacy and safe...

Several reports of Graves’ disease (GD) onset after COVID-19 vaccination were recently published. The mechanism underlying GD occurrence in these cases could be related to the autoimmune syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA), a condition triggered by several vaccine adjuvants and excipients leading to dysfunctional immune response causing different conditions and endocrinopathies in genetically predisposed subjects. In Italy, population campaign for COVID-19 vaccination st...

Low vitamin D levels were consistently reported as a risk factor for worse outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Emerging evidences suggest that in 50–70% of COVID-19 survivors several post-COVID symptoms can be observed up to 3 months after acute-disease, representing a novel clinical condition defined Long-COVID syndrome. To date, the predisposing factors for this syndrome are still poorly understood. We retrospectively aimed at evaluating the influence of 25(OH) ...

Background: Persistent Hypoparathyroidism (PH) is a condition characterized by inappropriately low concentrations of PTH that lead to hypocalcemia. The treatment cornerstones of PH are calcium and calcitriol supplementation; however, several patients do not achieve adequate control of the disease under this conventional therapy. Notably, no biomarker of risk of ‘resistance’ has yet been identified. Based on the fact that obesity alters the vitamin D-calcium homeostas...

Background: The SAGIT® instrument, designed to assist clinicians in staging and managing acromegaly, is undergoing validation. A descriptive analysis of SAGIT Validation study baseline data revealed discrepancies between investigator-evaluated disease-control status, disease activity, hormonal control, and treatment decisions in acromegaly.Objective: To describe the baseline characteristics of patients in the SAGIT® valida...

The COVID-19 pandemic is significantly affecting the care of chronic conditions globally. Acromegaly is a rare chronic condition with a prevalence ranging between 2.8–13.7 cases/100.000 people. Acromegaly management requires a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals (HCPs), mainly including endocrinologists, neurosurgeons, and specialized endocrine nurses. Frequent consultations, particularly during early stages of the disease, and pre/post-surgery are necess...

SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly spread from China throughout the world leading to a pandemic. COVID-19 can be severe enough to cause hospitalization and death. Many patients with endocrine disorders share many of the recognized risk factors for severe disease and have potential additional risks due to corticosteroid replacement therapy or alteration in blood electrolytes. We here report three cases of COVID-19 in patients with post-surgical hypopituitarism and documented hypocortisolem...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a primarily respiratory infection which can lead to severe syndrome needing hospitalization and assisted ventilation with high lethality. In a recent meta-analysis of 33 RCTs increased risk of severe infections on treatment with Denosumab, widely used for treatment of osteoporosis, was found specifically for ear, nose, and throat. In fact, by inhibiting the receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-Β ligand, denosumab acts as an i...