Endocrine Abstracts

The impact of GH/IGF-1 levels on skeletal muscle in patients with acromegaly is still matter of debate. Recently, temporal (TMT) and masseter muscle thickness (MMT) have emerged as reliable indicators of muscle mass, as well as patients’ functional status/prognosis in various clinical context – especially in the oncologic setting. This study aims to investigate the potential correlations between TMT/MMT and patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics. A r...

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) display a high degree of conservation in the DNA- and ligand-binding domains. Despite these sequence similarities, the PPARs show distinct functions, even when co-expressed. Many experimental approaches have been employed to determine the molecular mechanisms that underlie their subtype-specific characteristics. However, these approaches have largely relied on cell population based studies, such as ChIP-seq. Here we have ...

Background: Somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs) are first-line standard-of-care therapies for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs), showing efficacy in tumour and symptom control with an established safety profile. However, disease progression may occur despite standard-dose SRL treatment, requiring more aggressive and toxic treatments. Retrospective/non-randomized data suggest higher-dose SRLs may benefit patients with GEP-NETs who do not respond to stand...

Background: In vitro and animal experiments have clearly demonstrated that excessive cortisol, GH and prolactin secretion, as well as dopamine agonists (D2As) and somatostatin analogs (SSAs), often prescribed for their treatment, affect the immune response and the onset/evolution of autoimmune diseases (AIDs) through direct and indirect complex mechanisms. Data from clinical studies are very scanty.Study aim: To assess the 1) distribution of AIDs accordi...

Background: The goals of acromegaly treatment are to achieve long-term biochemical control, control tumor size and decrease the risk of developing systemic comorbidities. Moreover, from the patient’s perspective, symptoms and QoL are critical parameters of disease control and should be assessed routinely. To aid in the global clinical management of acromegaly, a holistic clinical decision support tool, the Acromegaly Disease Activity Tool (ACRODAT®) was developed.</p...

Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the iodine nutritional status in pregnant women residing in Veneto region and its associations with diet, iodine supplements and social status (nationality and education).Methods: 292 consecutive pregnant women at the third trimester of pregnancy were enrolled (≥18 years old, and resident in Veneto). Exclusion criteria were a personal history of thyroid disease and the refusal of the informed consent. Every woman...

Rationale and aim: A recent pangenomic study documented a subset of somatotroph mostly GNAS-wildtype PitNET/adenomas co-express steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1). Aim of our study was to investigate clinical and molecular features of a cohort of these tumour subtype. Study sample: We identified 20 cases of SF1-expressing somatotropinomas out of 173 (11.6%) operated via transsphenoidal endoscopic approach in 3 referral Pituitary Centers patients. Pre- and post...

Background and aim: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is considered the gold standard to evaluate BC, even if it requires the use of radiations, an expensive equipment and cannot be performed at the patient’s bedside. Nutritional ultrasound (NU) evaluates BC through the assessment of muscle mass and the abdominal subcutaneous (superficial and deep-layer) and visceral adipose tissue. We aimed at comparing the accuracy and reliability of this emerging tool with DXA in ...

Introduction: The gold standard for evaluating Occult Parathyroid Adenomas (OPa) in patients with biochemical pattern of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is the 99mTc-MIBI parathyroid scan. 18F-Fluorocholine (18F-FCH) PET/CT has been proposed as a potential technique for detection and localization of OPa when 99mTc-MIBI scan is negative or inconclusive.Aims: To evaluate sensitivity and positive predictive value of 18F-Fluorocholine PET/CT in patients w...

Introduction: Abnormalities of lipid metabolism and arterial hypertension occur with increased frequency in hypothyroidism and are associated with a higher risk of premature atherosclerotic vascular disease. Therefore, a vigorous lipid lowering treatment seems mandatory, including quickly restoration of thyroid function, to reduce vascular risk. We evaluate benefits on lipid profile after intravenous thyroxine treatment in severe hypothyroid patients at three and thirty days.<...