Endocrine Abstracts

A regulatory role of the skeleton on glucose metabolism has been supposed both in animals and in humans. Osteocalcin (OC) seems to be involved in this regulation and has been reported to be inversely associated with insulin resistance and measures of adiposity in different populations of adult subjects. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a condition mostly affecting elderly subjects and characterized by both marked increased bone turnover and increased insulin resistance. T...

Over the last decade 824 pituitary tumours have been removed in our centre. Of these, 114 (13.8%) were corticotroph adenomas. We present four unusual cases of corticotroph adenoma showing transition from Cushing’s disease to a hormonally inactive adenoma (case 1 and 2) or vice versa (case 3 and 4).Case 1: A 51-year-old man was admitted with a 2-year history of weight gain, arterial hypertension and chiasmatic syndrome. Cushing’s disease (CD) du...

Introduction: The relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and osteoporosis is controversial. Both Type 1 DM and Type 2 DM have been associated with higher risk of fractures, whereas BMD is increased in Type 2 and decreased in Type 1 DM. In primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) a higher prevalence of Type 2 DM has been found but the influence of DM on BMD is unknown.Subjects and methods: In a consecutive series of 262 patients with PHPT (age, mean±S...

GH has contra-insulin actions and exogenous GH can reversibly reduce insulin sensitivity in patients treated with GH. It has been recently reported that the exon 3 – deleted (d3) isoform of the GH receptor (GHR) appears to be preventive for type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult subjects (GH&IGF Res 2007;17:392). Aim of this study was to investigate possible influences of the GHR-d3 polymorohism on glucose metabolism, lipid profile and BMI in children treated with GH for G...

Background: The development of a vascular supply is a critical factor in the growth and metastatic spread of malignant tumors. The recognition of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway as a key regulator of angiogenesis has led to a considerable efforts to exploit its potential for therapy in oncology. Endocrine gland-derived (EG-VEGF) has been recently identified as an endothelial cell mitogen, predominantly expressed in steroidogenic tissues; it represents a n...

Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene polymorphisms have been associated with interindividual variations in glucocorticoid sensitivity in healthy individuals.Aim: Aim of this study was to investigate whether there was an association with sensitivity to glucocorticoids and bone mineral density in HPA axis disorders.Methods: We analyzed 3 polymorphisms of the GR gene (Bcl1, N363S, ER22/23EK) in 185 subjects: 52 patients with Cushing&#146...

Introduction: In primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) bone involvement is frequent. In women with PHPT it has been previously reported that menopausal status together with PTH, calcium levels and renal function are independent predictors of bone density. In male subjects, the impact of PHPT on bone status is less defined.Aim of the study: To investigate this study was possible predictors of bone mineral density (BMD) in a series of male subjects affected b...

Cushing’s disease (CD) occur more frequently in females than in males, but in men this disease seems appear at a younger age and with more severe symptoms and clinical course. Aim of this study was to compare clinical features and biochemical indices of hypercortisolism in male and female patients with CD.Methods: Forty-five patients (35 females and 10 males) with confirmed CD were analyzed. All patients underwent a complete biochemical and endocrin...

The main aims of treatment of acromegaly are reversing symptoms and signs, removing the tumour, preventing disease recurrence, and improving survival. Increased mortality associated with acromegaly can be diminished if treatment is successful in reducing GH <2–2.5 ng/ml. We carried out a prospective study to assess whether recent advances in surgical technique (namely the endoscopic approach in a specialised centre encompassing specialist pituitary surgeons working in...

Aims: Studies on statins and insulin-sensitivity in T2DM are highly controversial. We aimed to evaluate the effect of RSV in type-2 diabetic people and whether its action may be phenotype-dependent, i.e. triglyceride (TG)-related (study approved by the local Ethical Committee).Methods: 48 type-2 diabetic pts (22 M:26 F), in a poor glycaemic control with oral agents, insulin or a combination therapy (unchanged over the study), were given RSV 10 mg for 12 ...