Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) is a rare genetic tumor syndrome due to germline mutations of the RET proto-oncogene, which is characterized by medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), pheochromocytoma (PHEO), and primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). The age at onset, aggressiveness of MTC, and the penetrance of other components depend on the genotype. Early prophylactic thyroidectomy and life-long screening for PHEO from childhood are recommended in most cases....

Background: Growth hormone directly stimulates tumour growth, angiogenesis and metastasis through autocrine and paracrine effects on cancer cells, while through IGF1 inhibits apoptosis and promotes epithelial proliferation. Although disputed, some studies have shown an increased cancer incidence in acromegaly patients, especially in uncontrolled subjects, while others have not.Aim: To assess prevalence of cancer in a cohort of patients with long term tre...

Background: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most common endocrine malignancy. Standard treatment includes thyroidectomy (extention depending on tumour size, pathology and lymph nodes involvement). If indicated, radioiodine therapy after TSH stimulation either by levothyroxine withdrawal or rhTSH administration is recommended. In patients with thyrotropin deficiency rhTSH administration is mandatory.Case report: A 30-year-old woman, resident in...

Introduction: Suppression of TSH usually indicates hyperthyroidism. But the etiology of low TSH is very wide, including pituitary pathology. In this report we describe a case diagnosed and treated for hyperthyroidism. Later on, the persistence of suppressed TSH after therapy of hyperthyroidism was due to a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma.Case presentation: A 47-year old woman was referred to our clinic for investigations, due to thyroid pathology. The pat...

Frequently seen in connection with thyroid disease, exophtalmic syndrome has a much large spectrum of differential diagnosis including numerous local and general aetiologies. Conditions such as mucoceles of paranasal sinuses don’t have always nasal or sinus symptoms but may present with ophthalmological manifestations.A 50-year-old woman presented for a 2-months history of right eye proptosis with upper eyelid swelling, periorbital pain, occasionall...

Introduction: Resistance to thyroid hormone beta is a genetic disease defined by impaired sensitivity of target tissue to thyroid hormone caused by mutation of thyroid hormone receptor beta gene, appearing with an incidence of 1/40,000. The characteristic biochemical profile of resistance to thyroid hormone is elevated serum thyroid hormone level and inappropriate serum level of thyrotropin (TSH) which is normal or elevated. Clinical picture is variable ranging from asymptomat...

Objective: During the current pandemic of COVID-19, many therapeutic protocols adopted high dose systemic glucocorticoids (GC) for treatment of moderate to severe respiratory insufficiency. The suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis by synthetic GC, even after a short treatment period, cannot be reliably predicted due to pathophysiological changes in cortisol dynamics in critically ill, inter-individual pharmacokinetic differences, and sensitivity var...

Introduction: Hypercalcemia is mostly caused by primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy. Parathyromatosis is a rare condition characterized by multiple nodules of hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue scattered throughout the neck and superior mediastinum, which can present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.Case report: A 56-year-old woman visited the ER due to chest pain, left-sided neck edema, and hematoma. The day before, she experienced left-si...

Background: Prolonged ingestion of licorice has been known to cause hypokalemia and resistant hypertension amongst other disturbances. This is due to glycyrrhizin that inhibits the 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme type 2 which results into increased plasma cortisol levels that stimulate the mineralocorticoid receptors resulting into apparent mineralocorticoid excess.Case report: A 45-year-old woman resident in an iodine sufficient area, heav...

Introduction: Antiresorptive treatment can preserve bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) when surgery is not feasible or desired. We aimed to compare the impact of zoledronate vs denosumab on bone-related biochemical parameters in this population.Methods: We analyzed preliminary data from our ongoing randomized trial on osteoporotic postmenopausal women with PHPT who are being treated either with zoledronate 5 mg...