Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Testicular ultrasound (US) is routinely employed in the evaluation of reproductive and sexual function. However, its use for characteristics other than testicular volume is hampered by a lack of information on the prognostic value of its findings, that to date have only been incorporated in a score proposed by Lenz et al. in 1993.Objectives: We sought to explore whether testicular US examination can predict spermatogenesis and provid...

Objective: Endocannabinoids (CBs) are novel lipid mediators that modulate appetitive behaviour and energy metabolism. The overactivation of the endocannabinoid system plays an important role in obesity. Endocannabinoids may regulate the lipid metabolism through their receptors (CB1 and CB2) in liver and adipose tissue. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD1) type 1 regulates the local availability of active glucocorticoid, potent inductors of adipogenic different...

Introduction: Patients with Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) often display small, multiple, non-palpable, and typically benign testicular micro-nodules at ultrasonographic examination, representing Leydig cell hyperplasia or Leydig tumors. Increased LH levels raising from testicular damage might play a pivotal role by acting as growth factor for Leydig cells. To date, evidence on the efficacy of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on decreasing the micro-nodules volume are lacking...

Introduction: With the improved imaging techniques, Leydig cell tumours (LCTs) are frequently found, accounting up to 22% of testicular tumours. The natural history of LCTs is relatively unknown, because of the small size and heterogeneity of available studies. Since LCTs are often removed, long-term follow-up is missing. The aim of this study was to report the experience with a large cohort of prospectively collected LCTs.Materials and methods: Patients...

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) show promising efficacy in the treatment of a wide range of advanced cancers, butlong-term response is currently limited to a subset of patients. Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and decreased muscle function which occurs in approximately 50% of advanced cancer patients,related to malnutrition, inflammation, and treatments.Objective: The aim of this prospective o...

Ageing in men is accompanied by a decline in serum testosterone (T) levels and increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteopenia, visceral obesity and impaired metabolism. These conditions have complex aetiologies that may share a common pro-inflammatory state. We investigated the impact of T therapy on cytokines and angiogenic factors involved in atherosclerosis and bone loss, in hypogonadal men who underwent androgen replacement. We carried out a 6 months, randomized, dou...

Background: Hypogonadism and sexual dysfunction, particularly erectile dysfunction (ED), are common in men living with HIV (MLWH), but the link between testosterone levels and sexual function remains unclear in this population. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hypogonadism and sexual dysfunction and to explore the relationship between HIV-related variables and gonadal and sexual function in MLWH.Materials and Methods: Serum total t...

Context: Significant uncertainty exists about the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonographic (US) features used to predict the risk of thyroid cancer in the pediatric population. Moreover, there are not specific indications for thyroid nodule evaluation in patients during the transition age.Objective: The meta-analysis aimed to address the following question: which thyroid nodule US features have the highest accuracy in predicting malignancy in the transiti...

Background: Hyperandrogenism in postmenopausal women is extremely rare and requires exclusion of malignancy.Case reports: 1. A 65-year-old woman was referred to our Department of Endocrinology for appearance of hirsutism and alopecia for about 2 years. Abdomen-pelvis CT scan showed a 2-cm lesion (45 HU) at the left adrenal gland, confirmed by MRI scan, without loss of signal intensity in opposed-phase sequences. In addition, in the right ovary, a 3-cm le...

Background: Bilateral testicular germ cell tumors (B-TCGT) are reported as rare findings (incidence 1-8%) and can be distinguish in synchronous (sB-TCGT) (recurrence within 3 months) and metachronous (mB-TCGT) (recurrence after 3 months). Risk factors of relapse are still underexplored. The aim of our study was to identify clinical, biochemical and radiological risk factors for the onset of a second tumor in a wide cohort of TGCT patients. Materials and ...