Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Pheochromocytomas (adrenal and extra- adrenal/Paragangliomas) are rare catecholamine producing tumors and required complex dedicated MDTintervention. We preliminarily reported our service in a tertiary referral centre over 10 years (2008–2018).Method: A retrospectively review of confirmed phaeochromocytoma were carried out by reviewing clinical correspondences and ICE investigation-result system (laboratory, radiology and histology.)</...

An 88-year-old Caucasian man with hypertension, single functioning kidney, vitamin D insufficiency and transurethral resection of the prostate was admitted with worsening confusion. On admission, he had acute on chronic renal impairment (Urea- 17.2 mmol/l (range: 2.5–7.5 mmol/l), Creatinine- 163 μmol/l (range: 60–120 μmol/l), eGFR- 35 (Baseline- 60 ml/min/1.73m2) and a normal serum/corrected calcium (2.51 mmol/l (range- 2.2–2.6mmol/l). He wa...

Phaeochromocytoma during pregnancy is extremely rare with a frequency of 0.002% pregnancies. However, the risks for the pregnant patient with this tumour are extremely high: with maternal and foetal mortality up to 50% if undiagnosed. In contrast, early diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy decrease the maternal and foetal mortality to <5 and 15% respectively.A 37-year-old female underwent abdominal imaging to investigate iron deficiency anaemia. ...

ACTH signalling at the adrenal zona fasciculata induces rapid synthesis of glucocorticoids, accompanied by rapid transcription of genes encoding steroidogenic enzymes, including the labile, rate-limiting protein, StAR protein. ACTH induction of StAR transcription has been demonstrated to be predominantly CREB-dependent, and this mechanism is regulated by both CREB phosphorylation and its binding to the CREB co-activator TORC (transducer of regulated CREB activity, also known a...

Introduction: β-thalassemia (bT) is associated to several endocrine abnormalities mainly due to iron overload. With the increase in bT-patients life expectancy, due to progresses in iron chelation therapy, more patients enter into adulthood than in the past and the prevalence of endocrine diseases is being reconsidered. The aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence of primary hypoparathyroidism (pHPT) in adult bT-patients and to characterize the relative clinical ...

Thyroid cancer is one of the most frequent malignancies of the endocrine system, and its incidence is predicted to become the fourth leading cancer diagnosis by 2030. Among thyroid carcinomas, anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is the most aggressive and lethal tumor, which grows very rapidly, invades adjacent tissues and metastasizes, causing death in 1 year from diagnosis. We recently showed that in thyroid cancer PATZ1 expression is downregulated compared to normal thyroid and...

The term pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) defines a heterogeneous group of rare, related and deeply impairing metabolic diseases due to end-organ resistance to the actions of PTH, associated to molecular defects at the GNAS locus. Different subtypes of PHP have been described based on the existence of additional clinical features, such as resistance to other hormones acting via GPCRs and Albright’s hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO). Recently, the detection in a small subset o...

Endocan has been reported as specific of endothelial tumor cells and was shown to be expressed by tip cells during angiogenesis process.The principal aims of the study are the assessment of immunohistochemical VEGF and Endocan expression in functioning and non functioning pNETs and the comparison of these markers with clinical features, Ki67 and TNM staging.We collected a total number of 79 pNETs surgical specimens for immunohistoc...

Introduction: The ghrelin suppressive effect of food is well established in normal subjects, whereas the effectiveness of meals in decreasing plasma ghrelin in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) is still debated. Based on the above, we elected to study the ghrelin dynamics after food or placebo in a group of anorectic girls at the moment of diagnosis and after weight recuperation.Study design: Nine anorectic women (age 14–32 years) were studied. Bo...

Introduction: Thyroid function is commonly impaired in β-thalassemic patients with an estimated prevalence of hypothyroidism of 9–11%. According to literature, iron overload is the main cause of tissue damage involving both thyroid and pituitary gland, thus leading to primary or secondary hypothyroidism respectively. However, thyroid morphology has been rarely investigated in adults. The aim of this study is to evaluate thyroid volume (TV) and thyroid morphology in &...