Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Severe Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is defined by extremely high serum cortisol levels (usually >1000 nM), along with severe and deadly complications, including sepsis, heart failure, acute psychosis, vascular thrombosis, digestive haemorrhage and bowel perforation. Rapid control of such hypercortisolism is mandatory and has been shown to decrease operative mortality and complications. Oral treatments such as ketoconazole and metyrapone are often inadequate i...

Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is considered as the gold standard test for primary aldosteronism (PA) subtype diagnosis. However, it is also an invasive and technically challenging procedure. In order to reduce the use of AVS, we propose a new score predicting a unilateral (UPA) or bilateral (BPA) form of PA using biological and radiological parameters. The score was retrospectively developed on a cohort of 72 patients who underwent AVS at the Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc Br...

Background: Patients with an insulinoma are at variable risk of severe hypoglycemia due to wide ranges of both tumoral insulin secretion and peripheral tissue sensitivity to chronic hyperinsulinaemia.Objectives: In this study we investigated the clinical, biological and tumoral characteristics of a large series of patients with immunohistochemically confirmed insulinoma and we assessed both insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function in fasting steady-sta...

A 64-year-old Algerian woman was transferred to our institution with a pituitary tumor causing severe visual impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a T1-isointense, T2-hyperintense sellar mass measuring 48×35×30 mm, with homogenous enhancement after gadolinium injection (Figure 1). This mass extended to the suprasellar region, compressing the optic chiasma, and to both cavernous sinus, completely surrounding and narrowing carotid arteries. Ophthalmologic...

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown aetiology, characterized by non-caseified granulomatous reaction that can involve multiple organs. The disease typically presents with pulmonary infiltrates, bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy and uveitis, but may also less frequently affect other organs, including the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Malignancy rates in sarcoidosis patients have been reported as 1 to 2%1,2, chronic inflammation bei...

Case: A 56-year-old patient was referred to our endocrinology unit for management of severe hypercalcemia. He had complained initially from asthenia, intractable nausea and vomiting and weight loss (10 kg), but now also suffered from polyuria-polydipsia, bradypsychia and bradylalia, and diffuse joint pain with loss of strength in the lower limbs. Initial laboratory investigations showed a parathyroid crisis with marked increases of parathyroid hormone (PTH) at 2138.5 pg/ml (45...

Two nationwide surveys on acromegaly (AcroBel-1 and 2) have been performed in Belgium at an interval of five years, including centralized GH and IGF1 measurements in most patients. A normal IGF1 for age was observed in 56% of 311 vs 74% of 365 treated patients, in 2004 and 2009 respectively.Factors responsible for this improvement were investigated. A selection bias was unlikely as the follow-up rate was higher in patients with active (83%) or medically ...

To evaluate the epidemiology and global quality of care of acromegaly in Belgium, all endocrinologists treating patients with acromegaly were invited to participate in a nationwide survey extending from 15-6-2003 till 30-9-2004, aiming to include all patients (including deaths) that were in follow up or newly diagnosed after 1-1-2000. The project was ethically approved and written informed consent obtained. Retrospective data on demographics, pathology, complications and treat...

Purpose: We describe the characteristics and prognosis of inpatients with diabetes and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Belgium.Methods: We conducted a multicentre retrospective study during the first wave of the pandemic, from March 1, 2020 to May 6, 2020. Data on admission of patients with diabetes and hospitalized due to confirmed COVID-19 were collected. COVID-19 diagnosis was based on a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on nasophar...