Endocrine Abstracts

Although the notion of paracrine and autocrine signalling was already suggested more than 100 years ago, its full recognition dates from the last 30 years. Paracrine communication and autocrine loops have been shown to operate in all hormonal cell types and in folliculo-stellate cells and other non-hormonal cells during fetal and postnatal development and adulthood. More than 100 compounds have been identified that have, or may have, paracrine or autocrine actions, including t...

Food intake is centrally regulated in hypothalamic nuclei. Peripheral hormonal signals activate their corresponding receptors in the arcuate nucleus (arc) and modulate the expression of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and neuropetide Y (NPY)/agouti-related-protein (AgRP). Cleavage products of POMC stimulate melanocortin-4-receptors (MC4R) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) to inhibit food intake or stimulate MC3Rs in the arc to activate a feedback loop. Further mor...

Introduction: The thyroid is a multifunctional endocrine gland which, by its hormones, affects all the organs, metabolisms and nonspecific defence of the body. The aim of this study is to establish if endogenous thyroxin (FT4) is involved in the nonspecific defence of the organism.Material and methods: 94 patients were included in the study, 47 with hyperthyroidism and 47 with hypothyroidism, 81 women, 13 men aged 7–78. FT4 was...

Background: Changes in gut hormone levels after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has been proposed as a possible mechanism that explains the long-term weight loss and the improvement in glucose homeostasis after bariatric operations. In this prospective study we evaluated the changes in the fasting and postprandial levels of glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), insulin and glucose during the first postoperative year after LSG.Methods: ...

Introduction: Assessment of the efficacy of surgical treatment for Cushing’s disease (CD) is one of the biggest challenges in contemporary endocrinology. The aim of this study was prospective evaluation of factors influencing the result of transsphenoidal surgery for CD.Methods: The study population consisted of 36 consecutive patients with CD hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology from 2005 to 2009 and operated on using the same surgical p...

Men living at high altitudes in Peru compared to sea level counterparts have erythrocytosis (Hemoglobin: 16–21 g/dl) or excessive erythrocytosis (Hemoglobin>21 g/dl). High testosterone (T) levels in men at high altitude (HA) were associated with excessive erythrocytosis. High androgen levels could be due to a low aromatase activity or to an elevated rate of conversion from precursors to testosterone. The aim of this study was to evaluate aromatase activity and rate of...

ObjectiveThere is large inter-individual variation in the growth hormone (GH) response to resistance exercise, but the intra-individual variation is unknown. This study aimed to determine the reproducibility of the GH response to a 30-min resistance exercise session.DesignFollowing local Ethics Committee approval, nine male participants were familiarised before completing three trials in a random order. Durin...

The blood-brain barrier for peptide hormones is protective for the maternal brain.OBJECTIVE: To compare peptide hormone levels on the two sides of the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier in pregnant, non pregnant and menopausal women.METHODS: We investigated, with the approval of the local ethics committee, 35 healthy pregnant women at term, aged 21-41 years (group G), 27 non-pregnant women aged 21-43 years (group C) and 15 menopausa...

Background: A recent, large phase III study (n=162) showed that treatment with pasireotide rapidly decreased urinary free cortisol (UFC) levels and improved signs and symptoms in patients with Cushing’s disease. Here, we report the experience of a patient enrolled in this trial who received pasireotide for 36 months.Results: A 31-year-old male presented in June 2008 with persistent Cushing’s disease despite two previous pituitary surgica...

‘Silent’ ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas are not characterized by specific clinical features that would suggest the presence of hypercortisolism. In contrast, they present as non-functioning pituitary macroadenomas with either visual compromise or hypercortisolism. However, immunostaining reveals ACTH-secreting cells.In order to characterize the laboratory features of these tumours, we have preoperatively assessed 56 patients with either clin...