Endocrine Abstracts

Type 2 diabetes is among the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide. Further research is needed to identify new mechanisms that may help preserve the function of insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells. The cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1) and their endogenous ligands, endocannabinoids, exert a key role in regulating of glucose homeostasis, β-cells function, and insulin secretion. Intriguingly, CB1 is not only located at the plasma membrane (pmCB1), but also at the...

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) showed impressive results in several malignancies; however, a large spectrum of immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) may occur, including thyroid dysfunction (DYSTHYR). IRAEs seem to be associated with better cancer outcome; limited data suggested that thyroid toxicity could be a predictor of response to ICIs.Patients and methods: We retrospectively evaluated all patients who started treatment with the pro...

Background: Testosterone (T) is essential for bone health during all ages, helping to achieve a proper peak bone mass and, later, to maintain bone density and strength. Guidelines on management of male osteoporosis recommend testosterone replacement in young-adult hypogonadal to prevent bone loss and anti-resorbitive drugs in case of high fracture risk, but the role of T replacement therapy (TRT) alone in subjects with late onset hypogonadism is still the object of an intense ...

Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs), mainly gonadotroph pituitary adenomas (GPAs), are the second most common type of PAs. Given the lack of symptoms secondary to hormone hypersecretion, NFPAs are often diagnosed when they cause mass effects. At this stage they are invasive (50% of cases), they cannot be completely resected and often recur. Despite their frequency, no standard of care drug treatment currently exists for these tumors. SSAs (somatostatin agonists) like oc...

Tirzepatide, a once-weekly dual co-agonist of Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) and Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptors, has been demonstrated to improve glucose control and reduced body weight in different therapeutic approaches. With this rapid review and meta-analysis, we systematically reviewed the efficacy and safety of injectable incretin-based therapy added to basal insulin compared to basal insulin plus background treatments titrated rigorously t...

Rationale: Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNets) are aggressive in 20% of cases, with local invasion, relapse/scarce response to conventional treatment, in the absence of reliable predictive parameters. In 2018, Trouillas et al. proposed a 5-tier prognostic classification, not widely validated yet. In our study we evaluated the outcomes of a PitNets monocentric series in the context of this classification.Materials & Methods: We retrospe...

Introduction: Selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) potentially increase endogenous gonadotrophin and testosterone secretion in men. They are used off-label in men with hypogonadism and/or infertility. There is a lack of guidance on using these agents in men with secondary hypogonadism, though these agents are widely used in these people as a cheaper alternative to gonadotrophins. Methods: Systematic search was co...

Background: As of December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly, therefore Governments from all over the world promoted a strategy of social confinement through a general lockdown in order to contain it. During the months following its introduction, many studies reported a significant increase in the incidence of idiopathic central precocious puberty (CPP) throughout several countries, especially in girls.Purpose: The aim of our study was to co...

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) accounts for 1%–2% of thyroid cancers and has a variable clinical course. MTCs present with locoregional metastasis in 50% of patients and distant metastasis in 10% to 15% at the time of initial diagnosis. The lungs, liver, and bone are common metastatic sites, and distant metastasis is known to be a poor prognostic factor for long-term oncologic outcomes. We present the long course case, under somatostatin analogues (SSA) therapy, of a 7...

Generalized lipodystrophies are extremely rare diseases. Despite remarkable progress in identifying genes responsible for the most common forms of genetic lipodystrophies, the molecular basis of disease in some patients with distinctive phenotypes remains unclear. We herein describe the case of a male patient born from non-consanguineous parent affected by a syndrome characterized by generalized lipodystrophy, psycho-somatic growth retardation, cleft palate, macroglossia, righ...