Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Polymorphisms of the glucocorticoid (NR3C1) and mineralocorticoid receptor (NR3C2) have been linked to the regulation of HPA-axis and to glucocorticoid sensitivity. We investigated whether NR3C1 and NR3C2 polymorphisms correlate with the occurence of adrenal crises (AC) in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI).Material and methods: We investigated 100 patients with PAI (70% women, mean age 51±15 years). DNA was extracted fr...

Introduction: A positive correlation between serum thyrotropin concentrations (TSH) and body mass index (BMI) has been demonstrated. Some studies not shown this, in euthyroid subjects, or observed only if thyroid autoimmunity (TA) is present or in non-smokers (NS). Leptin (Lp) could be the major link between BMI and TSH.Design: To analyze the relationship between TSH, free thyroxine (FT4), Lp, TA (peroxidase and/or thyroglobulin antibodies) an...

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia is a rare clinical condition of persistently elevated serum calcium and reduced urinary calcium levels with an autosomal dominance inheritance pattern to the three out of four large types of this condition known. This rare condition goes largely undiagnosed as patients are largely asymptomatic and where symptoms are present, other causes of hypercalcaemia are considered first. Hyperparathyroidism, super-imposing on FHH, is an even rarer occ...

Introduction: Hyperthyroidism is the condition that occurs due to excessive release of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. Anti-thyroid drugs are usually the first choice of the treatment but surgery and radioactive iodine can also be used in treatment of hyperthyroidism. Plasmapheresis is a rapid and effective treatment option in cases where immediate euthyroidism is needed to be obtained due to complications of thyrotoxicosis and major side effects of antithyroid drugs.</p...

Objective: Therapeutic glucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease. Unfortunately, their long-term administration is associated with deleterious systemic side effects including muscle atrophy. 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) activates glucocorticoids within muscle, is increased with inflammation, and has previously been shown to mediate GC induced muscle wasting. We examined the role of 11 beta-hydroxyster...

The term “hyperthyroidism” is a form of thyrotoxicosis due to inappropriately high synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone(s) by the thyroid. The leading cause of hyperthyroidism in adolescents is Graves’ disease; however, one should also consider other potential reasons such as toxic adenoma (TA) or a toxic multinodular goiter (TMNG), and other rare disorders leading to excessive production and release of thyroid hormones. The term “thyrotoxicosis&#...

Introduction: The possibility of progression of subclinical hyperthyroidism (SH) to overt hyperthyroidism (OH) is a critical point in deciding whether to treat this situation.The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate of progression of SH to OH and the factors influencing this outcome.Methods/design: This is a retrospective study at an endocrine referral service in Northern Greece. Data from patients with SH diagnosed between 19...

Introduction: The clinical significance of subclinical thyroid diseases is debated.Design: To assess the relationship between undiagnosed subclinical hypothyroidism (USH), health indicators (HI) and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), this cross-sectional study was conducted in 1100 adults representatives of non-institutionalized Catalan population (44.5% men; mean age: 44.8±15.2 years) in Catalonia (Spain); 40 USH (18 men) and 1060 euthyroid (474 m...

Background: TSH-receptor stimulating antibodies are implicated in the pathophysiology of Graves’ disease (GD). The detection of TSH-receptor antibodies (TSHR-Abs) is routinely performed by assays measuring thyrotropin-binding inhibitor immunoglobulin and new generation assays are reported to have high sensitivity and specificity in GD. The differentiation of hyperthyroidism (GD or toxic multinodular goiter (TMG) or toxic adenoma (TA)) is important for planning the therapy...

The role of the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) in bone is unclear. TSHR-deficient mice have low bone mineral density (BMD) and focal osteosclerosis despite normal thyroid hormones (suggesting TSHR function, in bone, is important). Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) has various aetiologies including thyroid autoimmunity (TA) and inactivating TSHR mutations (TSHR-M). In TSHR-deficiency & TSH-M elevated TSH compensates for reduced TSHR function, whereas in TA it compensates for red...