Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in post-menopausal women carries an increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to an unfavorable effect on lipid profile. Thus, HRT treatment increases concentrations of very-low-density-lipoprotein-triglycerides (VLDL-TGs) which have been demonstrated to possess atherogenic properties. However, the exact mechanisms whereby VLDL-TG concentrations are increased by estradiol are not fully understood. Estradiol acts on both rapid re...

Background: Hypercortisolism is prevalent in type 2 diabetes (T2D), but analytical and functional uncertainties prevail. Measurement of salivary cortisol is considered an expedient screening method for hypercortisolism, but its usefulness in the context of T2D is uncertain.Aim: To compare late night salivary cortisol (LNSC) with the 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST), which was considered ‘reference standard’, in T2D.<p cla...

Background: High levels of mannose-binding lectin (MBL), an activator of complement, have been associated with increased mortality and risk of albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes. It is not known if MBL is synthesized in human adipose tissue and the effects of weight loss and changes in insulin sensitivity on MBL levels have been poorly elucidated.Methods: Of 36 nondiabetic obese subjects received a very low-calorie diet (VLCD) of 800 kcal/day f...

Female adrenal failure involves impaired DHEA secretion and very low circulating androgens. To address the impact of a daily physiological substitution dose of capsule DHEA 50 mg on quality of life and sexual parameters, we performed a 6 month trial in a randomised, crossover and placebo controlled design. The trial was approved by the local ethical committee and conducted according to GCP guidelines. Ten patients were enrolled. Seven patients reported seborrhoic side effects ...

Context: Thiazolidiones (TZD) improves insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes via effects on fat metabolism, whereas growth hormone (GH) stimulates lipolysis and induces insulin resistance.Objective: To evaluate the effects of TZD on fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity in GH-treated GH deficient (GHD) patients.Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel-group study including 20 GHD patients on continued GH repl...

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis, which causes macro-vascular complications such as cerebral infarctions, myocardial infarctions, and peripheral vascular disease. We aimed to investigate whether there are differences in the morphology of atherosclerosis in the carotid arteries assessed by MRI in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic control subjects.Methods: Hundred type 2 diabetic p...