Endocrine Abstracts

The discovery of the fundamental involvement of receptor activator for nuclear factor-KB ligand (RANKL) in osteoclast (OC) formation, has enabled the routine generation of human OCs in vitro from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Beta C-terminal telopeptide (beta-CTx) is a specific resorption marker for degradation of bone type I collagen by OCs. We have evaluated the correlation between beta-CTx released from dentine wafers on which OC were c...

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of inflammatory processes which predicts vascular disease, and is raised in the circulation of women with PCOS. Metformin can be used to reduce insulin resistance in women with PCOS, leading to improved ovarian function and circulating lipid profiles. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of protracted metformin treatment on circulating CRP in women with PCOS.Methods: CRP was assessed in women with PCOS (n...

Because the sodium iodide symporter, NIS, may be artificially expressed in cells to introduce ablative doses of radioactive iodide, it may be of clinical use. NIS is normally found in the basolateral membrane of thyrocytes and its expression and activity are known to be regulated by TSH. We have used primary cultures of human thyrocytes to examine other regulators of NIS activity. NIS activity was measured as uptake of 125I into cells in the presence of the thyroper...

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) is a rare autosomal dominant condition due to a mutation in the calcium-sensing receptor gene (CaSR). The CaSR is located on chromosome 3 and mutations are commonly heterozygote mutations causing loss of function. Heterozygote mutations demonstrate benign disease with mild, asymptomatic hypercalcaemia. Homozygous mutations in the CaSR usually present with neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT) in the first few weeks of life and ...

Introduction: The gold standard for insulinoma diagnosis is still 72-hours fasting trial with the aim to trigger Whipple’s triad. In this context, biological diagnosis of endogenous hyperinsulinism relies on the occurrence of a hypoglycemia, concomitant with inadequate high insulin and C-peptide levels. However, diagnostic cut-offs are not consensual among the different learned societies (Endocrine Society 2009, NANETS 2010, ENETS 2012). The objective of this wor...

Introduction: Monotherapy failure in diabetes mellitus type 2 occurs early in the course of disease. Evaluation of the primary pathogenetic mechanism is of primary importance in choosing the optimal combination therapy.Objectives: To investigate influence of meal stimulated C-peptide levels and HOMA B, as markers of residual insulin secretion on the efficasy of adding metformin to sulphonylurea therapy in subjects with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes...

A C Bianco is a professor of medicine and Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr A C Bianco obtained his MD, PhD and clinical training in internal medicine and endocrinology in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His work has established the importance of the local control of thyroid hormone activation/inactivation via deiodination, as well as fundamental cellular and molecular properties of the deiodinases (D1, ...

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are systemic diseases with a broad spectrum of coexisting disorders, but their common features are insulin resistance and higher frequency of concomitant type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). According to recent studies, a higher frequency of CHC in patients with DM is not associated with this cohort exposure to multiple medical interventions, but with CHC being a possible risk factor for developing DM. CHC m...

Introduction: In patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, thyroid function appears to be related to increased cardiovascular risk. It was our objective to evaluate the relationship between TSH, insulin resistance, lipid profile, C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT).Methods: We analyzed the lipid profile, the CRP, anti-thyroid antibodies, homocysteine, folic acid, vitamin B12 levels and the insulin resistanc...

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) negatively affects renal function. It is known that chronic kidney disease is a predictor of cardiometabolic diseases. Cystatin C (cystC), an alternative measure of renal function, has been associated with adverse cardiovascular events and cardiometabolic risk factors. This study was aimed to evaluate serum cystC, its relationships with PTH and cardiometabolic risk in patients with PHPT.The following parameters were mea...