Endocrine Abstracts

Rationale: Grave’s disease (GD) is the most common subtype of autoimmune hyperthyroidism, which can manifest with a variety of extrathyroidal clinical syndromes such as ophthalmopathy, pretibial myxedema (dermopathy), acropathy, cardiomyopathy, and encephalopathy. In very rare instances, GD can also be diagnosed following severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as dysphagia, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. We hereby describe a rare case of GD with digestive symptoms which w...

Background: Bone turnover markers are used in research and clinical practice, but only in part reflect bone formation and resorption. Components of the Wnt-signaling pathway, regulating osteoblastogenesis and osteoblast function, can be measured in serum, however it is unclear whether they reflect underlying bone mass and metabolism.Objective: Determine whether serum levels of Wnt-signalling components reflect bone mass or metabolism in men during growth...

Glucocorticoid resistance syndrome, a rare genetic disease, is often associated with glucocorticoid receptor (GR) loss-of-function mutations. Six patients carrying heterozygous mutations of NR3C1 gene encoding GR, either missense R477S, Q501H, L672P or non-sense R469X, R491X, Y660X mutations were studied. Surprisingly, NR3C1 mutation carriers presented with low kalemia, low plasma renin and aldosterone levels associated or not with arterial hypertension, cons...

Renal and cardio-vascular complications of prematurity are well established, notably those associated with renal tubular immaturity, responsible for major salt loss at birth, as well as early hypertension in adulthood. However, the molecular underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our objective was to investigate the impact of preterm birth on the ontogenesis of renal corticosteroid pathways, to evaluate its implication on perinatal complications and on the emergence o...

Background: The goal of this project was to identify non-osmotic stimuli of arginine vasopressin (AVP) release during exercise. Non-osmotic AVP release can lead to severe hyponatremia in otherwise healthy marathon runners.Interleukin-1 (IL-1) increases during exercise and was shown to induce AVP in animal models. We here therefore investigated whether copeptin (a surrogate marker for AVP) increases upon exercise in young and healthy males, and whether this increase is regulate...

Many studies but not all showed an increase in employment after bariatric surgery by 17–29%. We analyzed the relation of this increase of employment rate with weight loss, satisfaction and deprivation score. In an observational study, we evaluated the rate of employment (mean±S.E.) 2.3 years ±0.1 after bariatric surgery. We mailed to 791 patients a simple self-questionnaire to assess the employment status deprivation, satisfaction scale and Barros...

The Mineralocorticoid Receptor (MR), a hormone-activated transcription factor that mediates sodium-retaining action of aldosterone, is highly expressed in the distal nephron in which large variations in extracellular fluid tonicity are generated by the cortico-papillary gradient. However, mechanisms regulating MR expression remain sparse. We recently showed that extracellular tonicity modulates renal MR expression through posttranscriptional mechanisms (Viengchareun, Mol Endoc...

Background: During the last decennium, an increase in the number of persons referred to gender identity centres has been observed. Epidemiological data have not yet been formally studied in France. Here we report the experience from the Trans’Est Gender Identity Centre of the University Hospital of Nancy.Aim: To study the number of people seeking transgender care, the age at referral and the trends in the sex ratio.Methods: Th...

Background: Increased cortisol levels in obesity may contribute to the associated metabolic syndrome. In obesity, the activated innate immune system leads to increased interleukin (IL)-1β, which is known to stimulate the release of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH). We therefore hypothesised that in obesity IL-1 antagonism would result in downregulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to decreased cortisol levels.Methods: I...

Background: Low testosterone levels in men appear to be an independent cardiovascular risk factor closely associated with the metabolic syndrome. Reciprocally, the metabolic syndrome leads to a decrease in testosterone levels, suggesting a bidirectional relationship. It has been hypothesized that increased inflammation is causative for the development of obesity-associated hypogonadism. However, clinical evidence supporting this hypothesis is lacking. The aim of the present st...