Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: The current cut-offs to diagnose adrenal insufficiency (AI) have been established using outdated immunoassays. More modern methods have demonstrated less cross-reactivity with other steroids. The aim of our study was to evaluate the correlation between the cortisol assay Roche Cortisol I (R1), the newly available Roche Cortisol II (R2) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the gold standard procedure for the measurement of steroids.<p cl...

Objective: The identification of hyperandrogenism represents the cornerstone for the assessment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOs). However, its definition has always been troubling, mostly because of the poor accuracy shown by routine androgens assays. As suggested by literature, the application of more precise steroid measurement methods (such as liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, LC-MS/MS) could improve the diagnostic workup. The aim of our study is to evaluat...

Objective: The diagnosis of central hypoadrenalism (HPAI) is a major clinical challenge. The gold standard procedure remains insuline tolerance test (ITT). Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is considered the best procedure for the evaluation of cortisol levels. This study aimed to evaluate cut-offs of serum (TM-SeC) and salivary cortisol (SaC) by LC-MS/MS and serum cortisol by ECLIA assay (E-SeC) after Standard dose ACTH test (SDCT) in diagnosing HPAI.<...

Background and objectives: Metyrapone has been approved for the treatment of patients with Cushing’s syndrome from all causes, but only few retrospective clinical studies are available. The aim of our study was the prospective assessment of metyrapone as pre-operative treatment.Methods: Before adrenalectomy, 7 patients with ACTH-independent Cushing’s syndrome due to adrenal adenoma were prospectively treated with metyrapone for 3 months, with e...

Background: Cortisol excess is associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension (Hy), type 2 diabetes (T2D) and fragility fractures (FX). A possible association between T2D and fragility FX with the degree of glucocorticoid (GC) suppression and peripheral activation or sensitivity even in non-hypercortisolemic subjects has been previously suggested.Aim: To assess if the degree of GC suppression or peripheral sensitivity and activation are associated w...