Endocrine Abstracts

Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone with low molecular weight (362 Da) synthesized from cholesterol in the adrenal gland. The release is regulated by the hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Approximately 95% of the circulating amount is bound to proteins (CBG and albumin), but only the remaining free fraction is biologically active. Serum cortisol level is routinely analysed in laboratory medicine, though the widespread immunoassays (RIA and ECLIA) have the disadv...

The total 25-hydoxy-vitamin-D (t25OHD) level can be assessed by various methods and reflects vitamin D intake. Results are influenced by the serum variables affected by dialyses.Aims: To examine t25OHD and bioavailable vitamin D (b25OHD) by two methods in patients on peritoneal-(PD) and hemodialysis (HD).Methods: We studied 37 HD (64±15 years) and 36 PD (63±18 years) patients. The t25OHD was assessed by chemiluminescence ...

Loss-of-function mutations in the TSH receptor (TSHR) gene are one of the most common known causes of congenital hypothyroidism (CH). While heterozygous mutations result in nonautoimmune isolated hyperthyrotropinemia, homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations may cause overt CH of various severity depending on the localization and type of the mutations.In our study we performed the systematic genetic analysis of the TSHR gene of a cohort of 85 Hunga...

Because measurement of plasma signal activity (PRA) is time-consuming an automated method directly measuring active signal (REN) may be more suitable for clinical practice. The aim of the study was to analyse the diagnostic utility of REN and aldosterone (ALD)/REN ratio as compared to PRA and ALD/PRA ratio.Materials and methods: PRA, REN (DiaSorin) and ALD (Immunotech) were simultaneously measured in 123 plasma samples (83 females and 40 males; mean age,...

In certain patients with autoimmune diseases (AID) and with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), moderate hyperprolactinemia can be present.Aim: Our aim was to investigate free PRL levels in RA, using two different PRL assays known to react with a different sensitivity to MPRL. The relationship between PRL and the disease-specific autoantibodies (antibody to cyclic citrullinated peptide:cCP-Ab and antinuclear antibody:AN-Ab) were analyzed also.<p class="abstex...

Usually, the first laboratory marker for thyroid disorders is TSH. FT4 and FT3 must not be measured unless TSH is out of the reference range. However, the reference range for TSH (and for free thyroid hormones) given by the manufacturers of immunoassays may be not completely valid for screening in iodine-deficient areas and among hospitalized patients either.Aim: Our aim was to constitute specific TSH, FT4, FT3...

In the clinical laboratory practice, endocrine biomolecules are mainly measured by immunoassay. Storage of the samples can not be avoided in many cases. Measurement in the low concentration ranges require exact knowledge on how storage would influence the functional sensitivity of the measurement.Aim: To evaluate the effect of storage of serum samples on their stability and the functional sensitivity of the applied method.Methods: ...