Endocrine Abstracts

Wegener’s granulomatosis is characterized by necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis. It occurs initially in a localized form, disseminates in various degrees and particularly involves the respiratory tract and kidneys. It is an ANCA-associated vasculitis, a systemic disease of autoimmune aetiology. Recently vitamin D deficiency has been associated with the development of autoimmunity. The aim was to present a case of Wegener’s granulomatosis in a patient with vitamin D...

Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as diabetes mellitus type 1 and multiple sclerosis. Reduced vitamin D intake has been linked to increased susceptibility to the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and vitamin D deficiency has been found to be associated with disease activity in RA patients. The aim was to evaluate vitamin D status in RA patients and to assess the relationship between vitamin D levels and disease act...

The incidental discovery of adrenal tumors in the course of computer tomography scanning for various reasons has led to the more detailed study of this type of tumors.The aim was to study the anatomical distribution of primary adrenal tumors at diagnosis.The archives of all patients with primary adrenal tumors having been hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Metaxa Hospital, Pireaus, Greece from 01.01.2...

It has been hypothesized that prolactin may act on the immune system. It has been suggested that prolactin may act on the immune system and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, as mild hyperprolactinemia has been found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.We tested the hypothesis that prolactin may act on the immune system and induce the development of autoim...

Primary pituitary tumors are relatively rare and mainly benign.The aim was to study the primary pituitary tumors presenting during a 10-year period in a single center.The archives of all patients with primary pituitary tumors having been hospitalized from 01.01.2000 to 30.06.2010 in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Metaxa Hospital were studied. Within this cohort of patients 128 were female (63%) and 75 (37%) were ...

Low vitamin D levels have been found in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 and have been correlated with poor glycemic control. There are observations suggesting that vitamin D levels may be low in obesity.The aim was to study vitamin D levels in obese individuals.The levels of 25(OH)D3 were measured in 30 obese individuals aged 42.67 years (mean), range 27–64, BMI 35.49 (mean), range 30–46 and 37 control s...

Thyroid disease epidemiology has changed recently. This change may be related to changes in the iodine status of the environment. Iodine deficiency was observed in earlier years in Greece. The progression of multinodular goiter to hyperthyroidism was frequently observed. Nowadays, the development of autoimmune thyroiditis is frequently observed in patients with simple or nodular goiter. This development may be related to the proinflammatory action of iodine, iodine being nowad...

Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin. Low vitamin D levels have been observed in African Americans. However, the relationship between vitamin D and skin color has not been completely evaluated.The aim was to study the relationship between dark skin color and vitamin D levels in healthy individuals.Vitamin D (25(OH)D3) levels were measured in 15 dark skinned individuals. All subjects were immigrants, having migrated to Gr...

Nodular hyperplasia of the adrenal as a cause of Cushing’s syndrome is rare. Adrenal tumors, frequently causing syndromes such as hyperaldosteronism due to autonomous hormone secretion, have been described in patients with renal cysts. The aim was to describe the case of a female patient with diffuse adrenal hyperplasia, subclinical Cushing’s syndrome and renal cysts.A female patient aged 69 years presented with hyperplasia of the right adrenal...

HDR syndrome (hypoparathyroidism, deafness, renal dysplasia syndrome) is a rare clinical entity, which includes the simultaneous presence of hypoparathyroidism, sensorineural deafness and renal dysplasia. It is due to mutations of GATA3 gene in XP.10p and is inherited with the autosomal dominant type.The aim was to describe the case of a patient with clinical symptoms and laboratory and imaging findings compatible with HDR or Barakat syndrome.<p clas...