Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: The aim of our study was to assess the presence of endothelial dysfunction and of increased carotid intimae-media thickness (IMT), two precocious markers of atherosclerosis in PCOS subjects. Simultaneously, their relationship with some metabolic, hormonal and anthropometric parameters was analyzed.Methods: The study group consisted of 45 women with PCOS (age=23.1±4.1 years, body mass index (BMI) =28.4±5.9 kg/m2). Thirty-two heal...

Background: Recently, the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index has been considered a surrogate marker of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a well known pathogenic factor in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, few studies have investigated the relationship between the TyG index and liver fibrosis in subjects with NAFLD. Thus, we investigated the relationship between the TyG index and liver fibrosis in Korean adults.Methods: In total, 51...

Background: Acute pancreatitis is both a medical and surgical emergency. Common causes of acute pancreatitis include gallstones and alcohol. Hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis is rare (1-4%); here we discuss management of 5 cases of hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis.Case-1: 37-year-old female presented to A&E with epigastric pain radiating to back and vomiting. Blood test showed raised amylase, triglyceride 81.6 and cholesterol 6.1. CT...

Serum concentrations of progesterone sulphates are raised in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), the commonest pregnancy-specific liver disease. Women with ICP have increased rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We hypothesised that raised progesterone sulphates may modulate glucose homeostasis. Progesterone sulphates were assayed in serum samples from participants of the hyperglycaemia and adverse pregnancy outcomes (HAPO) study (n=79–94), and ...

Background: The mechanism underlying the spontaneous improvement of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during pregnancy and the subsequent post-partum flare is incompletely understood. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) polymorphisms Bcl1 and 9β are associated with an increased and decreased glucocorticoid sensitivity respectively. We examined the relation between carriership of these functional GR polymorphisms and disease course during pregnancy and post-partum in RA...

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerates active glucocorticoids thus amplifying their intracellular actions. 11β-HSD1 deficiency or inhibition, which improve metabolic syndrome and attenuate atherosclerosis in vulnerable rodent strains, is a target for drug development. However, 11β-HSD1 also converts 7-ketocholesterol (7KC) (which accumulates in fatty tissues), to the potentially more atherogenic, 7β-hydroxycholesterol. Whether a...

Aims: To investigate the mechanism of α-lipoic acid (ALA) on preventing diabetes, we evaluated the effect of ALA on growth regulation and composition of skeletal muscle.Methods: OLETF and LETO rats, aged 24 weeks, were treated with or without ALA (100 mg/kg body weight/day in drinking water) and / or insulin (insulin glargine, 2 U/kg body weight/day; subcutaneous injection) for 8 weeks.Results: The treatment of ALA with or wit...

Background and methods: The HORIZON-PFT is a multinational, 3-year, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the potential of once-yearly zoledronic acid (ZOL) 5 mg, infused over 15 minutes, to decrease risk of fracture in 7736 postmenopausal osteoporotic women 65–89 years of age.Results: Treatment with ZOL 5 mg resulted in significant relative risk reductions in morphometric vertebral fracture of 70% vs PBO (3.8% vs 12.8%; 95% ...

Introduction: Calbindin-D9k is a 9 kDa polypeptide expressed in the mammalian intestine, uterus, and pituitary gland. Calbindin-D9k increase Ca2+ absorption by buffering intracellular Ca2+. The intracellular concentration of calcium is regulated by calcium related proteins such as calbindin-D9k, TRPV1 and PMCA1. The regulatory effect of steroid hormones and glucocorticoids on calbindin-D9k, TRPV1 and PMCA1 expre...

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are structures similar to steroids hormones which can interfere with hormone synthesis and normal physiological functions of male and female reproductive organs. EDCs tend to bind to steroid hormone receptors. Sex steroid hormones influence calcium signaling of the cardiac muscle in early embryo-development. Progesterone (P4) has been reported to affect both blood pressure and other aspects of the cardiovascular system. To confirm the affe...