Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Pheochromocytomas are tumors derived from the adrenal-medullary chromaffin cells that normally produce catecholamines. Rarely these tumors are non-secreting. In the assessment of a suspected pheochromocytoma, guidelines recommend dosing urinary or plasma metanephrines.Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of pheochromocytomas biochemically non-secreting and their differences.Methods: We searched all patients with meas...

Introduction: Parathyroid Carcinomas are rare malignant neoplasms, accounting for less than 1% of primary hyperparathyroidism cases. Apart from certain genetic mutations, no additional risk factors are known. Diagnosis is challenging in the absence of metastatic disease since no consensual histological criteria have so far been developed. These neoplasms typically present with severe hypercalcemia and markedly elevated serum PTH levels. Treatment is surgical and despite freque...

Introduction: In our practice we’ve been following some oncologic survivors patients with low-low/normal levels of testosterone who are asymptomatic. Aims: to determine the levels of total (TT) and free testosterones (FT) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in healthy men, in order to find the reference intervals (RI) adjusted to our population and compare them with those provided by the kit-producers (KP).Methods: We collected blood samples from 125 heal...

Introduction: Iodine is the key element for the synthesis of thyroid hormones and its intake modulates the physiology and physiopathology of thyroid gland. In Portugal, endemic goiter has disappeared, but some data make us consider that iodine intake, as in other European areas, is far from being sufficient. Taking into account the potential harmful effects of moderate iodine deficiency during pregnancy, when needs are increased, and the absence of recent data on iodine intake...

Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) is a very rare cause of hypoglycaemia in western countries. One proposed mechanism is anti-insulin antibody capture of prandial insulin followed by the dissociation of insulin from anti-insulin antibody. The first objective was to study the relationship between glucose, insulin and C-peptide during a prolonged glucose load in two patients with active IAS. The second was to study the variation of these parameters between the active and the reco...

Introduction: The presence of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (ATG) can induce falsely lower thyroglobulin (Tg) values. The methods characteristics used for ATG measurement vary according to the equipment/reagent used. ATG at our centre is measured by Unicap.Objective: To assess if patients with negative ATG by Unicap® have different results with other equipment.Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was condu...