Endocrine Abstracts

Sporadic pituitary tumours are generally benign tumours in which the none of the oncogenes or tumour suppressor genes classically mutated in other cancers are commonly mutated, nor are there frequent changes in genes associated with genetic endocrine neoplasia syndromes. Such tumours are associated with excessive but not completely unregulated proliferation, implicating a possible abnormality in a cell signalling pathway in their pathogenesis. Recently, the serine/threonine ki...

Introduction: Ghrelin gene products ghrelin and obestatin have apparent opposite orexigenic and anorexigenic effects, although this latter has not been firmly demonstrated for obestatin in humans. So far, no information has been reported in relation to its potential association to metabolic syndrome (MS).Objective: To study obestatin concentrations in relation to nutritional parameters and eating behavior in old women.Methods: One ...

Introduction: Cushing disease (CD) is the leading cause of endogenous hypercortisolism, caused by a pituitary tumor that produces ACTH. Treatment modalities include transsphenoidal selective adenomectomy (TSA), pharmacological therapy, radiotherapy (RT), and bilateral adrenalectomy (BA). The goal of our study was to analyze the outcomes of Cushing disease treatment in UHC Zagreb.Method: This retrospective study comprised 64 patients with CD (51 (80% wome...

Background: As a trace element selenium (Se) is essential for man and animals, in particular for the maintenance of spermatogenesis and male fertility. A growing number of evidence shows that Se is necessary for testosterone synthesis, and inappropriate concentration, Se can stimulate Leydig cell proliferation. However, Se can also act as a metalloestrogen, which can mimic estrogen and activate the estrogen receptors. In higher concentrations, Se might have an adverse effect o...

Cushing’s disease is the main cause of endogenous hypercortisolism. Comorbidities increase morbidity and mortality and the treatment is fundamentally surgical. Patients may use drugs to lower hypercortisolism as pre-surgical preparation and post-surgical treatment when cure is not reached.Objective: Evaluate the benefits and collateral effects of ketoconazole in Cushing’s disease.Methods: In 22 patients with Cushing’...

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the plasma osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) during the last trimester of pregnancy, and to investigate the relationship between OPG and some related factors.Method: In this study, 65 women with GDM and 65 women with NGT were enrolled. Plasma concentration of OPG was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)...

Objective: Albuminuria has been shown to predict cardiovascular disease in populations with diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to assess the mean pressure values and the circadian rhythm of blood pressure during its ambulatory monitoring in normotensive diabetic patients, dividing them according to the presence of microalbuminuria.Methods: The study group comprised of 77 type 2 diabetic patients. Their mean age was 56.5±6.7 years, and the ...

Permanent pan-anterior hypopituitarism is a rare complication of bacterial sinusitis, with only six cases reported worldwide. However, all were reported before the advent of MR imaging and most did not have what is now regarded as gold standard evaluation of pituitary function. Also, all previous cases noted an interval of months between resolution of sinusitis and development of hypopituitarism. We report two cases of previously healthy Caucasian adults who developed pan-ante...

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) is characterised by plasma hyponatraemia and plasma hypoosmolality with a high urinary sodium in a clinically euvolaemic patient. We describe only the second reported case of SIAD due to carboplatin administration, with consequent acute severe hyponatraemia.A 61-year-old lady with no background history of note received neoadjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel for stage III ovarian carcinoma. Five days after...

The IGFs are present ubiquitously at very high levels throughout the body and affect virtually every aspect of cell function. These high levels are maintained due to their association with 6 distinct binding proteins (IGFBP-1 to -6) which specifically bind IGFs (but not insulin). The IGFs are not stored within any cells but are stored in the circulation due to their binding to IGFBP-3 which then results in its association with a large glycoprotein, the acid labile subunit (ALS...