Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of DHEA therapy on fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) plasma concentrations in men with decreased serum DHEAS levels and angiographically verified coronary heart disease (CHD).Material and methods: The study included thirty men aged 41–60 years (mean age 52±0.90 yr) with serum DHEAS concentration <2000 μg/l, who were...

Introduction: In elderly men testosterone and DHEAS deficiency is often observed, also changes of body composition and metabolic disturbances are common disorders.Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the association between testosterone and DHEAS deficiency and waist/hip ratio (WHR) and also levels of glucose, insulin, HOMA and FG/FI ratio in elderly men as well as analysis, whether these sex hormones influent on measured parameters separatel...

A 76-year obese women with diabetes mellitus t II, hypertension and urolithiasis was referred to our clinic for reason of high cortisol levels, which were detected in regional hospital, two days after cystoscopy and catheterization of right ureter. Cortisolemia was 35 μg% at 8.00 and 37 μg % at 22.00. Short dexamethasone test didn’t cause cortisol suppression (cortisolemia after 1 mg DXM was 27 μg %). After two days of dexamethasone (4×2 mg) blood cort...

Autoimmune destruction of the adrenocortical cells is the most frequent form of Addi-son’s disease, however modern imaging methods make possible to discover bilateral neoplastic laesions resulting in adrenal insufficiency more frequently than about twenty years ago. In our group of 315 patients with Addison’s disease we diagnosed metastatic infiltrations of the adrenals in 18 cases and lymphoma of both adrenals in four cases (in sum 7%). Typical clinical signs, bioch...

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate (DHEAS) are weak adrenal androgens, which may exert anabolic effect on bone tissue.We have measured serum DHEAS levels and bone mineral density in lumbar spine and femoral neck in 131 healthy, agile, postmenopausal women aged 59–89. There were no diseases which aggravate bone loss and no hormonal replacement therapy in medical history of participants.Women were divided into groups...

Cushing’s syndrome is associated with life-threatening complications, as well as high rates of perioperative mortality and morbidity. Authors present clinical scenarios, in which one should consider the usage of intravenous etomidate as an accurate, safe and effective drug for hypercortisolaemia.Case 1: 23-year-old female with severe Cushing’s syndrome due to metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma was admitted to the Department of Endocrinology. S...

Presence of clinical symptoms and signs specific for suspected illness is, in general, a condition sine qua non to start diagnostics procedures. However, some diseases may proceed with various and disparate symptoms, which often suggests completely different diagnosis. One of them is pheochromocytoma – rare, usually benign neoplasm derived from chromaffin cells of adrenal medulla. It is very important to diagnose the disease while it is curable by surgery like ma...

Background2–3% of the general population is chronically treated with glucocorticoids (GCs). Modification of the structure and/or function of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) due to its polymorphisms may result in increased (GC – S – bclI, N363S) or decreased (GC – I – A3669G, ER22/23EK) sensitivity to GCs. To date, whether such modulation of cell’s response to GCs can be associated with presence or absence of the side effect...

Introduction: Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor that develops from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla. In about 90% of cases, it is a benign tumor. Along with catecholamines, neuroendocrine cells of the adrenal medulla have the ability to produce various proteins and neuropeptides and secrete them into the blood. Among the known biologically active substances are: neuropeptide Y and human cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART).Purpose: ...

Introduction: Paragangliomas belong to the neuroendocrine tumours arising from autonomic nervous system. Various localizations, symptoms that can mimic a wide range of diseases and often unpredictable ability to metastasize are the reasons why paragangliomas pose a significant diagnostic challenge. More than one third of paragangliomas is associated with germline mutations –succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunit genes are among the most common susceptibility genes. SDHD wa...