Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 varies widely, depending on population characteristics, country, age and disease severity. Moreover, pre-existing DM seems to double the risk of both critical COVID-19 and mortality.Aim: To evaluate incidence and mortality risk of COVID-19 in a large diabetic population in Northern Italy.Methods: A retrospective, observational, bi...

Objective: Environmental rhythmicity seems able to affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in animals, but the extent of its influence in humans is still controversial. This study was designed to evaluate seasonal fluctuations of the main hormones involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in men, using a big data approach.Methods: An observational, retrospective, big data trial was carried out, including all testosterone, luteinizing hor...

Luteinizing hormone (LH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are two glycoprotein hormones regulating development and reproduction. Despite binding the same receptor (LHCGR), they elicit different intracellular signaling. In vitro non-equivalence of hCG and LH was previously demonstrated in human primary granulosa cells. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of LH and hCG in mouse primary Leydig cells in vitro, naturally expressing the murine rec...

Background: Environmental rhythmicity seems able to affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in animals to achieve reproductive advantages. However, conflicting results were obtained when assessing the environmental-dependent rhythmicity on reproductive hormone secretion in humans.Aim of the study: This study was designed to evaluate seasonal fluctuations of the main hormones involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in men, using a big d...

Background: Primary hyperparathyroidism (HyperPT) and primary hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) are often underdiagnosed. Several strategies have been investigated in the past in order to identify diagnostic parameters, although the diagnosis of both HyperPT and HypoPT remains challenging so far, especially in asymptomatic patients. Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) are inversely related together, thus the Ca/P ratio could be an useful tool to define these conditions. Recently, we pro...

Background: Luteinizing hormone (LH) and choriogonadotropin (hCG) are glycoprotein hormones regulating ovarian function and pregnancy. They were routinely used in assisted reproduction techniques (ART) assuming they are equivalent, due to their binding to a common receptor (LHCGR). However, differences between LH and hCG were demonstrated at molecular and physiological level.Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate how follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)...

Background: Endothelial dysfunction leads to cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), through a reduction of nitric oxide (NO)-mediated relaxation. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) have hemodynamic effects, improving NO levels.Aim: To investigate if long term, chronic treatment with the PDE5i Vardenafil improves systemic endothelial function in men with T2DM.Methods: A longitudinal, prospective, invest...

Background: Testis stimulation with follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is one of the empirical treatments proposed for male idiopathic infertility, although early reliable markers to predict its efficacy are still lacking.Objective: To identify the improvement of semen parameters required to predict a priori FSH efficacy in terms of pregnancy achievement.Methods: A real-world study was conducted, enrolling idiopathic infer...

Background: Despite male idiopathic infertility is characterized by semen analysis alteration with gonadotropins within reference ranges, it is still considered a functional hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (FHH). This simple definition is fundamental to guide the empirical therapeutic approach of these men. However, the number of studies describing total testosterone serum levels (TT) in male idiopathic infertility is still limited.Objective: To evaluate T...

Introduction: Despite normal thyroid-stimulating hormone serum levels, up to 60% of hypothyroid patients are dissatisfied with the treatment. Animal studies suggest that the persistence of symptoms may derive from peripheral hypothyroidism. Combination treatment with levothyroxine and liothyronine is a theoretically plausible solution but its efficacy is still questionable.Aim: To evaluate the effects of personalized twice-daily combination therapy on pe...