Endocrine Abstracts

Pasireotide (SOM230) is a multireceptor ligand somatostatin analogue with high binding affinity to somatostatin receptor subtype 5, which is predominantly expressed in ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas. It is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with Cushing’s disease (CD) for whom pituitary surgery is not an option or has not been curative. Our study evaluated the effects of pasireotide, administered for 12 months at a dose of 600–900 μg/daily, in five...

Introduction: The classical replacement therapy for hypoadrenalism may expose patients to non-physiologic glucocorticoids levels with negative metabolic consequences. Up to now, one study demonstrated that, as compared to the classical treatment, a modified-release hydrocortisone (MRH), improves weight, blood pressure, glycaemic control and QoL in a 3-month follow-up period. Few data are available on the long-term persistence of these benefits.Design/met...

Chronic hypercortisolism is associated with dramatic increase in fragility fractures. The evaluation of skeletal fragility in Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is a clinical challenge, since fractures may occur even in presence of normal bone mineral density (BMD). Recently, measurement of bone marrow fat (BMF) by vertebral magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was proposed as alternative tool for evaluating skeletal fragility in primary and secondary osteoporosis. Noteworthy, rece...

: Patients with Cushing’s disease (CD) have increased cardiovascular risk due to metabolic alterations caused by glucocorticoids excess. Pasireotide, a multireceptor-targeted somatostatin analogue, is a therapeutic option in CD patients in whom surgery is not curative or not feasible. Pasireotide has been shown to be effective in controlling hypercortisolism and to improve metabolic features. Recently, the visceral adiposity index (VAI) has been proposed as a marker of vi...

Introduction: CyberKnife (CK) is an emerging treatment for pituitary tumours (PT) resistant to other therapies.Patients and methods: We report long-term CK effect on endocrine function and tumour volume in 20 PT patients (11M/10F, mean age 58.6±14.4years). Twelve patients harboured a non functioning adenoma, 2 an ACTH, 5 a GH (one case of TSH co-secretion) and 2 a PRL-secreting PT. Before CK nine patients had normal while 11 presented impaired pitui...