Endocrine Abstracts

Acromegalic osteopathy is an emerging complication of chronic GH excess characterized by increase in bone turnover, deterioration in bone microarchitecture and high risk of vertebral fractures (VFs). Medical therapies may exert direct effects on peripheral targets leading to improvement of clinical outcomes regardless of biochemical control of acromegaly. In this longitudinal study, we compared the effects pegvisomant (PegV) and somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs) on VF risk ...

Background: In a previous publication we identified the major predictive factors of levothyroxine (LT4) requirement and proposed an efficient nomogram to calculate LT4 substitutive starting dose after total thyroidectomy for benign disease. The aim of this study was to assess whether the LT4 requirement differs between the tablet and the soft gel capsules formulations.Methods: One hundred and three consecutive patients su...

The work-up of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC) patients includes thyroid surgery, thyroid remnant ablation (TRA) with 131-radioiodine and long life follow-up. 131I-post therapy whole body scan (pT-WBS) and thyroglobulin (Tg) are used in identifying metastatic patients. Some authors suggested to use post-surgical Tg (ps-Tg) values in deciding for or against TRA. The aim of our study was to verify the sensitivity and PPV of 131I-pT-WBS compared to serum Tg levels in detectin...

Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a highly sensitive tumor marker of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). To optimize the sensitivity, guidelines recommend Tg measurement after stimulation with recombinant TSH (rh-TSH) 6–12 months after radio remnant ablation (RRA). Based on recent evidence in Literature, it is possible to avoid the measurement of Tg after stimulation with rh-TSH (S-Tg) in presence of undetectable values of basal Tg (B-Tg) if high functional sensitivity (0.1 ng/ml) m...

We previously described aberrant expression of microRNAs belonging to the chromosome 19 cluster (C19MC) and the close miR-371-373 cluster in two-thirds of parathyroid carcinomas (PCas). Therefore, we investigated the involvement of the miR-371-373 cluster in parathyroid tumours, where miR-372 was the most consistently upregulated. miR-372 is known to be highly expressed in human embryonic stem cells and definitely downregulated upon differentiation. Moreover, miR-372 promotes ...

Though there is no evidence of a constitutive nuclear accumulation of β-catenin, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway might be deregulated in parathyroid tumours. We investigated unphosphorylated active β-catenin distribution by western blot in 16 typical parathyroid adenomas (PAds): β-catenin accumulation in the nuclear protein fractions varied from the levels detected in Caco-2 cells with constitutively active Wnt signalling (three PAds) to the levels measured in HE...

Introduction: Pancreatic ACTHomas have a poor prognosis with severe and rapidly progressive clinical courses, influenced by hypercortisolaemia thus whenever possible, control of the cortisol levels should be obtained to reduce complications. We report the use of adrenal embolisation in a case of a life threatening paraneoplastic Cushing.Case: A 51-year-old woman with a negative past medical history complained of general weakness. Cushing’s syndrome ...

Introduction: Pheochromocytomas are a rare catecholamine secreting tumours that can mimic numerous stress-associated disorders, such as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or transient left ventricular apical ballooning which is brought on by an acute coronary vasospasm due to an excessive sympathetic stimulation.Case ReportA 68-year-old woman, with previous medical history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, who was on 30 units of isuline ...

Thirty-two years old female G2P1A0 seen at our endocrinology clinic 9 years ago complaining of persistent menstrual irregularities associated to elevated prolactin values. MRI done revealed a pituitary microadenoma. However, she refused treatment for microprolactinoma. Four years afterwards, patient return complaining of recurrent episodes of headache. Repeated MRI showed a pituitary macroadenoma, so start on cabergoline treatment.Once more, patient was ...

Introduction: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most frequent endocrine cancer. After surgery followed, if any, by 131I radio remnant ablation (RRA), follow-up monitoring consists of neck ultrasonography (US) and measurements of thyroglobulin (Tg) levels and anti-Tg antibodies (Ac-Tg) both on levothyroxine (L-T4) therapy and after recombinant TSH (rTSH). The aim of our study is to define a cut-off of Tg before RRA (RRA-Tg) during <...