Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Chronic smoking alters the circulating levels of sex hormones and possibly also the neuroactive steroids, however, the data available is limited.Patients and methods: Therefore, a broad spectrum of free and conjugated steroids and related substances was quantified by GC–MS and RIA in premenopausal smokers and in age-matched (38.9±7.3 years of age) non-smokers in the follicular (FP) and luteal phases (LP) of menstrual cycle (10 non-sm...

Background: Smoking represents the most widespread substance dependence in the world. Several studies show the nicotine’s ability to alter women hormonal homeostasis. Women smokers have higher testosterone and lower estradiol levels throughout life compared to women non-smokers. This negatively affects women reproductive function. Furthermore, alteration of neuroactive and neuroprotective steroids occurs in women smokers, which plays an important role in the activity of t...

Introduction: Cigarette smoking is one of the most serious substance abuse problems. It is generally accepted that nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco smoke alter endocrine function in women, induce changes in female hormonal balance and likely contributes to reported associations of smoking with adverse reproductive outcomes, including menstrual dysfunction, infertility, and earlier menopause. Studies on the effects of smoking and smoking cessation on female sex hormones ...

Introduction: Autoimmune disease (AD) is more common in women than in men. Sex hormones may play a role. Sex hormone receptors (SHR) are expressed in cells of the autoimmune system. We investigated the possible role of hormonal parameters and of common gene polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1), beta (ESR2) and androgen receptor (AR) in the presence of AD in men.Methods: In total 227 men were studied; 125 had at least o...

Aberrant adrenal LH expression is a rare cause of adrenal Cushing’s syndrome (CS) leading to transient hypercortisolism during pregnancies and ACTH-independent macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (AIMAH) after the sustained postmenopausal increase of LH secretion. Subclinical CS due to aberrant LH expression has very rarely been described. Herein, we report a case with aberrant LH/hCG adrenal receptor mediated subclinical CS in a patient with incidentally discovered AIMAH an...

Background: The diagnosis of hypoparathyroidism, a clinical situation characterised by reduced production of parathyroid hormone despite the low calcium level, depends on patient’s anamnesis, clinical aspect and the biochemical parameters.Thalassaemia, an inherited autosomal recessive blood disease, caused by the reduced capacity of erythroblasts to synthesize one of the chains that build up hemoglobine. The combination of transfusion and chelation ...

Introduction: The decline of renal function is closely associated to increased parathyroid hormone secretion, resulting to secondary hyperparathyroidism because of: 1) hypocalcemia; 2) hyperphosphatemia; 3) reduced activity of calcitriol; 4) skeletal resistance to the calcemic action of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 5) reduced secretion of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) in the parathyroid glands.The retention of phosphorus is considered to take an i...

Objectives: Glucocorticoids may affect cardiovascular risk. Polymorphisms in the glucocorticoid receptor (GlucR) gene have been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether the common Bcl1 polymorphism of the GlucR gene (associated with increased sensitivity to glucocorticoids) may be associated with early markers of atherosclerosis.Methods: Two hundred and fourteen middle aged apparently healthy subjects (age &#8230...

Background: A high percentage of adult smokers try to quit, but most of these attempts fail. The ability to predict the success or failure of smoking cessation efforts will be useful for clinical practice. Stress response is regulated by two primary neuroendocrine systems. Salivary cortisol has been used as a marker for the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and salivary α-amylase as a marker for the sympathetic adrenomedullary system.Method...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is considered as a risk factor for diabetes type 2 (DM2), it is often associated with obesity, β-cell dysfunction or insulin resistance. Genetic factors underlying the association of PCOS with DM2 is unknown. Recent human genetic studies have revealed that transcription factor 7-like (TCF7L2) polymorphisms are associated with DM2 through modulation of β-cell function.The aim of this study was to test if <...