Endocrine Abstracts

Metformin (1.1-dimethylbiguanide hydrochloride), a widely used antidiabetic drug, has been reported to display potent anticancer properties in various types of cancers, including neuroendocrine tumors. Recently, a potential synergistic activity between metformin and octreotide (SSA) in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (P-NETs) has been proposed. AIP (aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein) acts as tumor suppressor gene in neuroendocrine tumors at pituitary level and it ...

Gastric carcinoids secondary to autoimmune atrophic gastritis (GC type 1) are usually well differentiated neoplasia, with an indolent course and an excellent overall prognosis. However, a subset of these tumors (<5%) may develop advanced disease, with lymph node and/or hepatic metastasis. The pathogenesis of these carcinoids is related to chronic trophic stimuli to enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells due to chronic hypergastrinemia. Treatments directed to remove the source o...

Testicular adrenal rest tumours (TARTs) are benign tumours deemed to originate from ectopic adrenal cells that descend with the testes during fetal development. These cells grow under chronic ACTH stimulation, typically in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). TARTs have also been rarely described in other conditions characterised by chronically elevated ACTH, such as autoimmune primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI). These are benign lesions, but could be misdiagno...

Background: Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) can be of autoimmune origin (Addison’s disease, AD) or due to inborn disorders of steroidogenesis (congenital adrenal hyperplasia, CAH). Prognosis of patients with PAI has improved considerably after glucocorticoid replacement therapy became available. However, even in recent years, an increased risk of death has been described in both AD and CAH patients. Moreover, even with the current state-of-the-art replacement therapy,...

Context: Available data on the natural history of pituitary incidentalomas (PI) are not strong enough to draw any evidence-based conclusion on timing and length of follow up of these masses, due to heterogeneity and low sample sizes.Objective: To describe the characteristics and the natural history of PI using data from a large cohort of patients investigated in two Italian Pituitary Centers.Patients and methods: Retrospective stud...

In this observational, retrospective, multicenter study, we analyzed data from 300 patients with pituitary incidentaloma followed in two Italian Hospital Center. We observed a predominance of female patients (65%), with an a mean age at diagnosis of 49 years (higher in men than women, 57 vs 45 years old). The main reason to perform imaging were neurological symptoms not related to the presence of adenomas (56%). Most cases were microadenomas (56%), and macroadenomas were more ...

Introduction: Immune dysregulation is a feature of Cushing’s syndrome (CS). We report a case of CS that presented with rapidly developing cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS).Case description: A previously well 59-year-old heterosexual man presented with a two-month history of proximal muscle weakness, recurrent mouth ulcers, and purplish skin lesions. He had a background history of hypertension. Skin biopsies were compatible with KS. History of pas...

Acromegaly, a chronic disorder of excessive growth hormone secretion, leads to functional limitation and impaired mobility most commonly due to arthropathy. Patients with biochemically controlled acromegaly have reported persistent impairment in prior studies. We aimed to compare the functional differences in patients with biochemically controlled acromegaly to those with uncontrolled disease by means of validated questionnaires. Between March 2017 and May 2022, patients over ...

Acromegaly is caused by excessive growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) secretion. Arthropathy is a leading cause of morbidity and impaired quality of life in acromegalic patients, often persisting despite therapeutic interventions and biochemical control. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterise the extent and impact of arthropathy in terms of pain and functional impairment. Validated questionnaires, including DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Should...

One of the most prevalent clinical manifestations of acromegaly is arthropathy which persists despite adequate symptom and biochemical control, and contributes to impaired quality of life. Patients with acromegaly have high psychiatry morbidity and increased prevalence of depression and poor psychological wellbeing. In a large cohort we aim to determine the effects of joint disease and disease control on quality of life in acromegaly. Eighty-five patients (45 women; median age...