Endocrine Abstracts

IntroductionLangherans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease due to a neoplastic proliferation of Langerhans-type cells. Hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) involvement may occur in 20–40% of the patients, presenting with diabetes insipidus (DI) and/or anterior pituitary dysfunction. Typically, such abnormalities are permanent and unresponsive to systemic treatment of LCH. We report the case of a young woman with pulmonary and HP localizations, and sig...

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a frequent cardiovascular risk factor in acromegaly. We aimed to retrospectively evaluate sex-related differences in OSAS characteristics and indications of non-invasive ventilation.Patients and Methods: Thirty-nine adult patients (16 F, 23 M) from two European centers were studied by home sleep apnea test (HSAT) or polysomnography (PSG). OSA was defined by an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥5/h and analyzed a...

Background: Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) is the major extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves’ disease (GD). Even if usually mild and non-progressive, in its worst forms, GO can represent a major therapeutic challenge, because is not always responsive to the available medical treatments. First line treatment for moderate-to-severe and active GO relies on intravenous (i.v.) methylprednisolone. Optic neuropathy is a sight-threatening complication which can seriously impact ...

Introduction: GEP-NENs represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with increasing incidence in the last years. Pathogenesis and risk factors of sporadic GEP-NENs are not clear and still debated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the main risk factors for sporadic GEP-NENs in patients followed by the NETTARE Unit (NeuroEndocrine TAsk force of of ‘Sapienza’ University of Rome).Methods: We performed a case-control study including 32 consecuti...

Introduction: Glucose metabolism impairment is a common complication of acromegaly. Somatostatin analogs (SSAs) are used as both first and second line treatment. The effect of SSAs on glucose metabolism in acromegaly is still debated.Aim: To address the following questions: 1) do SSAs affect glucose metabolism? 2) does the effect correlate with disease control? 3) do different SSAs – Lanreotide (LAN) and octreotide LAR (OCT) – affect metabolism...

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) significantly impacts Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and sexual function. The aim of this study was to evaluate sex differences in HRQoL and sexual function in patients with T2DM.Methods: We performed an ancillary study of RECOGITO trial (REmodelling in Diabetic CardiOmyopathy: Gender Response to PDE5i InhibiTOrs - NCT01803828). All patients completed the 36-item-Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), assess...

Introduction: Metastatic pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) or pituitary carcinomas are rare and challenging conditions. We present a recent and encouraging observation of a temozolomide (TMZ)-resistant clinically non-functioning metastatic PitNET showing a remarkable response to the anti-PDL1 drug Pembrolizumab.Case presentation: A 57-years-old man had transsphenoidal surgery in November 2012 for a large non-functioning intra/suprasellar mass rev...

Introduction: Immune tumor microenvironment plays a key role in tumors’ growth and metastatic spread, while its role in the heterogeneous field of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) remains unclear. There is evidence that tumor progression in NENs is promoted by an immunosuppressed microenvironment created by a plethora of infiltrating immune cells. Changes in circulating leukocyte and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subpopulations can mirror the local alteration of...

Introduction: Cardiac abnormalities are common in patients with acromegaly and contribute to the increased morbidity and mortality of the disease. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the established, non-invasive gold standard for measuring morpho-functional changes of the heart. We aimed to detect cardiac alterations in patients with acromegaly through CMR and to identify potential risk factors associated with cardiac impairment.Materials and methods: T...

Context: Acromegaly is associated with several metabolic and cardio-respiratory comorbidities, with a relative increase in the last years of cancer mortality. Although the GH/ IGF-1 axis has long been supposed to play a role on immune modulation, immune function in acromegaly is poorly known.Objective: This observational, prospective, single site, pilot study (NCT05069324) aims to analyse peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) subpopulations in acrom...