Endocrine Abstracts

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by the hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to increased steroidogenesis and altered cortisol secretion. The molecular signaling mechanisms underlying HPA axis alterations in metabolic diseases remain poorly understood. In this study, our objective is to investigate how changes in signaling molecules within both plasma and adipose tissue contribute to the regulation of adrenal steroidogenesis in metabolic...

Introduction: Basal calcitonin (bCT) and calcium-stimulated calcitonin (sCT) levels are useful in the management of Medullary Thyroid Cancer (MTC). Nowadays several bCT/sCT cut-offs have been proposed but univocally accepted values are still lacking. We identified gender-specific CT cut-offs in a series of patients who performed calcium gluconate test at our Centre.Methods: Our study includes a total of 35 patients (12 males and 23 females) with thyroid ...

Gonadotroph pituitary tumors (GnPiT) account for ~40% of pituitary tumors surgically treated and 70-75% of non-functional pituitary tumors. Functional gonadotropin-secreting tumors are rare and clinical manifestations vary according to the age and sex of the patient. They are benign tumors which, due to their silent nature, can grow and invade surrounding structures, making complete resection impossible and leading to recurrence in ~30% of cases.Objectiv...

Some studies suggest that Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) formation represent important and interconnected pathogenic mechanisms in diabetic retinopathy (DR). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of AGEs products with DR in a cohort at Hospital of LHUS. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study of a cohort of adults with type 1 or 2 type diabetes (T1D/T2D).Results: 78 patients with T1D and 81 with T2D were ...

Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents a substantial burden on health care systems, being the 8th leading cause of death and disability in the world in 2019, associated with long-term microvascular (neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy) and macrovascular (ischemic heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease) complications. DM comorbidities lead to a substantial decrease in quality of life, as well as important socio-economic consequences. In 2022, the...

Adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) are rare and usually very aggressive tumors with heterogeneous outcomes. The individual variability in tumor progression and patients’ survival is linked to ACC biology and molecular heterogeneity, reinforcing the need to identify markers with prognosis value, to allow an accurate clinical strategy. Currently, in the absence of specific molecular markers, ACC prognosis is mainly predicted by the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tum...

Most of adrenocortical tumors (ACT) are benign and non-functioning tumors, in contrast to adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC), which are rare and usually very aggressive tumors with a poor prognosis. The pathological discrimination between adrenocortical adenomas (ACA) and ACC is mainly based on unspecific and subjective histological features, resulting in inaccurate diagnosis in several cases. Numerous studies have previously described the potential value of immunohistochemistry ...

Introduction: Pituitary Stalk Interruption Syndrome (PSIS) is a congenital developmental anomaly affecting the pituitary gland. Characterized by a triad of features including a thin or absent pituitary stalk, adenohypophysis hypoplasia, and ectopic neurohypophysis on MRI, PSIS can lead to isolated or combined pituitary hormone deficiency. Symptoms may manifest at various life stages, with 70% of cases identified in childhood due to growth retardation. Notably, some patients ex...

Resistant hypertension of endocrine cause can make for a challenging diagnosis but it certainly is a very important one.Case report: We present the case of a 65 year old male patient with a history of arterial hypertension and hypokalemia for the past 10 years, for which he was prescribed a combination of alpha and beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), loop diuretic, and spironolactone. The lack of response to thi...

Introduction: Adrenal hematomas are a relatively rare clinical condition and its prevalence has been reported to be about 1%. Although various causes have been proposed, the ethology and pathophysiology are still not fully understood, and the symptoms range is very variable, from asymptomatic situations to haemorrhagic shock. Imaging is a challenging method to establish the diagnosis of adrenal hematomas, and in most cases, it is only possible after surgery. Surgery is routine...