Endocrine Abstracts

Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is associated with systemic complications, which despite successful treatment are not always totally reversible. Morbidity like venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, stroke, peptic ulcers, fractures and infections are higher in patients diagnosed with CS, both of adrenal and pituitary origin, and remain elevated during long-term follow-up. In fact, this increased multimorbidity risk is even present in the 3 years before diagnosis, as demon...

Background: Residual morbidity in patients with Cushing’s syndrome (CS) in remission significantly affects Quality of Life (QoL). While sustained muscle weakness is a frequent complaint in these patients, the impact of muscle dysfunction on their psychophysical wellbeing is currently unknown. Patients & methods: We included 28 female patients [mean(±SD) age, 50±12 years; mean (±SD) BMI, 26.7±3.8] and 26 age- and BMI-matched healthy controls. Mean (...

Objective: Acromegaly (ACRO) is associated with abnormal bone remodeling and reduced volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) at the lumbar spine and proximal femur. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) modulate the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and are currently being investigated as potential biomarkers of osteoporosis. The aims of our study were: 1) To identify differentially expressed miRNAs in the serum of five patients with active ACRO vs. healthy controls, and 2) To ...

Introduction: Patients with acromegaly are frequently left with long-term adverse sequelae. When compared with individuals with other pituitary adenomas, patients with acromegaly demonstrate greater impairment in their quality of life (QoL).Methods: The disease-specific questionnaire, AcroQoL, and the generic psychological general well-being schedule (PGWBS) were used to evaluate QoL in an acromegaly patient cohort. Longitudinal data were also collected ...

Background: Current guidelines recommend that susceptible patients should be tested and treated for AGHD. Still, it is not universally recognised as a distinct entity and reimbursement of GH replacement therapy is not available in some countries.Aim: 1) to record current practice of AGHD management throughout Europe and benchmark it against existing guidelines, 2) to evaluate educational status of health care professionals.Patients...

Introduction: Cushing’s disease (CD) and acromegaly, despite their different specific symptoms, often present psychopathology (mainly depression and anxiety) even after hormonal normalization. However, their psychopathological profiles may be different. The aim of this study was to analyse the psychopathological profile in successfully treated Acromegaly and CD, and to compare both diseases. Current hormonal evaluation and time since endocrine control will also be analyse...

Introduction: Previous results of our group, presented in the ECE last year, showed a lower gene expression of proconvertase PC1/3, involved in the processing of POMC, in silent corticotroph tumors (sCT) than in functioning ones (fCT), overall and in microadenomas. The aim of the present study was to quantify the protein expression of convertases involved in the processing of POMC (PC1/3) and in the degradation of ACTH (PC2, CPE and PAM) in a series of CT.</p...

Introduction: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that has been linked to several cardiovascular risk factors and bone status. Stress and corticosteroid exposure can affect BDNF levels, although this has never been studied in Cushing’s syndrome (CS). The aims of this study were to establish if BDNF levels were reduced in CS and to check possible associations to cardiovascular risk factors and bone status.Methods: 52 patients (18 ac...

Introduction: Acromegaly is associated with increased bone turnover and skeletal fragility. Although the GH/IGF1 system plays an important role in bone homeostasis, effects of GH excess on the Wnt signalling pathway are to be determined. Bone quantitative CT (QCT) provides a volumetric, tridimensional measure of bone mass at the trabecular and cortical level.Aim: i) To compare volumetric bone density (vBMD) using QCT in patients with acromegaly vs gender...

Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance persist 5 years after remission of Cushing’s syndrome (CS). Adiponectin and visfatin are two adipokines highly expressed in adipose tissue. Adiponectin is reduced in obesity and insulin-resistant states; visfatin has been shown in some studies to be reduced in obesity. The aim was to evaluate visfatin and adiponectin levels, body composition, insulin resistance and prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a cohort of women with long-te...