Endocrine Abstracts

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) represents the majority of differentiated thyroid cancers, presenting in 29–83% of cases the activating BRAF V600E mutation. The aim of our study was to analyse the influence of BRAF V600E mutation analysis on diagnostic accuracy of fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) in clinically unsuspected thyroid nodules. We therefore enrolled 496 patients (383 females, 113 males; mean age 52 years), for a total of 671 samples. FNAB were evaluated by...

Effective medical therapy for persistent/recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is not available, yet. Everolimus (RAD001) is a Rapamycin derivative, a potent mTOR pathway inhibitor. RAD001 has been employed in several clinical studies demonstrating antiproliferative and apoptotic effects in human tumors, both in vitro and in vivo, also in combination with somatostatin analogs. The aim of our study was to investigate the antiproliferative effects of RAD001 i...

Background: The response to first-generation long-acting somatostatin analogues (LA-SSA) treatment in acromegaly depends on the expression of the somatostatin receptor (SSTR) subtypes. In contrast to octreotide and lanreotide which preferentially bind to SSTR2, pasireotide targets multiple SSTRs, with the highest binding affinity for SSTR5. It has previously been suggested that SSTR5 expression could predict the response to pasireotide LAR (PAS-LAR) treatment in acromegaly.</p...

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an excessive accumulation of fibrous filaments in the extracellular matrix (ECM), in response to an inflammatory reaction that disrupts normal lung architecture and physiology. Collagen is the most abundant fibrous protein in the ECM. The GLP-1 receptor is highly expressed on lung tissue, where his activation plays an essential role in the synthesis and secretion of surfactant proteins. The objective of this study was to elucidate the eff...

Introduction: Pasireotide sc has a proven favourable efficacy and safety profile in CD patients, as shown in clinical trials. Here, we report safety and efficacy results from an expanded-access study designed to allow CD patients to receive pasireotide until regulatory approval for commercial use and reimbursement was obtained in their country.Methods: Pasireotide-naïve adults with CD (mean 24-hour urinary free cortisol [mUFC; of three samples] exce...

Background: Many endogenous steroid hormones are reported to be subjected to distinct circadian rhythms, which are driven by central regulators, hormonal bioavailability and half-life. Recently, the measurement of androgens phase II metabolites has gained interest in the diagnosis and management of different endocrinological pathologies, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), female adrenal hyperandrogenism and hirsutism, prostate cancer, but their circadian patterns have...

Introduction: Children born small for gestational age (SGA) represent a heterogeneous population, displaying different phenotypes for both growth and metabolic status. Low birth length and/or weight increases the risks for not only growth impairment but also for metabolic derangements, the latter with an even amplified risk in children with rapid postnatal weight gain. Variability in metabolic parameters, catch-up growth as well as different GH treatment responses are still po...

Introduction: The long acting GLP-1 analogue, Semaglutide (S), is indicated for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since November 2021, S has also been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) at a dose of 2.4 mg for the treatment of obesity. Here, we report the efficacy of S, either alone or in combination with other antidiabetic drugs, in patients with T2DM and obesity on glycated hemoglobin (HBA1C) and weight loss.Pat...

Introduction: Transition from childhood to adulthood represents a time-period in which adolescents/young adults (AYAs) with chronic illnesses start coping with self-managing their disease, often resulting in poor compliance to follow-up. Indeed, up to 50% of AYAs with common endocrine disorders is lost during the referral to an adult clinic. Transition in Endocrinology is poorly investigated yet, in terms of transition readiness, compliance to therapy, adherence to nutritional...

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...