Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Recent studies suggest that metformin (MF) may reduce TSH concentration. This fact could imply a dosage reduction of levothyroxine among those hypothyroid patients taking metformin.Aim: To determine, in a retrospective analysis, the impact of metformin in thyroidectomized patients (a condition not influenced by endogenous thyroid hormone production) on levothyroxine replacement.Patients and methods: One hundred ninety t...

One of the most important activating genetic aberrations in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) development pathways involves the RET/PTC–RAS–RAF–MAPK axis. Mutations in the RET gene are essential in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Sorafenib is the first compound to reach clinical practice that is capable of inhibiting all the RAF kinases. Moreover, it targets a panel of tyrosine kinase receptors, such as VEGF receptors which gives to sorafenib not only proap...

Background: Acromegaly is a rare chronic and debilitating disease. More than half of patients are not well controlled and most of them require chronic surveillance. Although IGF1 and GH circulating levels are the main targets, they are not in close relationship with the behaviour of the tumour, the clinical course of the disease, the therapy response and the associated comorbidities. Metabolomics is an emergent research tool that we have used to examine in a massive manner the...

Aim: Investigate, in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) if thyroglobulin (Tg) values, immediately before and six months post radioiodine ablation are good predictors of disease progression.Materials and methods: Basal Tg values (Tg-B) and rhTSH stimulated Tg (Tg-S) before ablation (0) and 6 months later (6) from 142 DTC patients, with post-surgical ablation therapy between 2003 and 2009 with a follow up of 5 years, were analysed.<p cla...

In PTC, radioiodine required dose for thyroid remnant ablation is uncertain. Recent works show that low doses may be sufficient for low risk patients.Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of thyroid remnant ablation in patients with low-risk PTC by using 1100 MBq (30 mCi) outpatient doses.Materials and methods: Twenty-five patients (24 women, 55 years-old mean age, range 34–77) referred for ablation of postsurgical thyroid ...

Introduction: Thyroid gland involvement by Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is a very rare condition. It occurs by thyroid infiltration that may result in hypothyroidism. LCH may be also related to neoplastic processes such as leukemias or lymphomas. However, the association with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is exceptional. We introduce a case and review the reported cases of this association.Case report: We describe a 33 year old patient diagnos...

Introduction: Generously supported by IPSEN)-->Carbohydrate metabolism (CHM) is impaired in over 30% of acromegalic patients. Natural history of acromegaly and treatment modalities, i.e. surgery, somatostatin analogues (SSA) and pegvisomant, may impact in a different way on CHM.Aim: To assess CHM alterations (impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes mellitus (DM)) in acromegaly and their relationship with cl...

Background and aim: Papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) with a diameter <1 cm are referred to as papillary microcarcinomas (PTMCs). They are being diagnosed with increasing frequency. Within this type of tumour some clinical and histological characteristics with prognostic and therapeutic impact have been proposed. In the present study we describe the clinical and pathological presentation of PTMCs and compare them with papillary thyroid carcinomas of larger size.<p cl...

Introduction: Classically, risk stratification in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) assigned the same magnitude of risk to all patients with regional lymph node involvement (N1 disease). However, specific lymph node characteristics (such as size, number, extension, etc.) will allow individualizing treatment and follow-up. One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification (OSNA) measures the number of copies of mRNA of cytokeratin 19 (CK19) as a marker of lymph node metastasis. Thus, copy nu...

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), the visceral fat of de myocardium, has been positively related to insulin resistance (IR), cardiovascular risk and the left ventricular myocardial mass. Whether EAT thickness in acromegaly is mediated by GH/IGF-1, IR or other factors remains to be elucidated.Objective: The aims of this study were: 1) To investigate whether EAT in patients with ACRO is linked to IR and pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory rel...