Endocrine Abstracts

Wolfram syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by neurodegeneration and diabetes mellitus. The gene responsible for the syndrome (WFS1) encodes an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident transmembrane protein, that also localises to secretory granules in pancreatic β cells. Although its precise functions are unknown, WFS1 protein deficiency affects the unfolded protein response, intracellular ion homeostasis, cell cycle progression, and granular acidificati...

Introduction: thyroid carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy, but it’s incidence appears to be increasing slowly (female 2–3.8/100.000 - male 1.2–2.6/100.000). This is the most common malignant endocrine tumour, represents about 1% of all malignancies. The majority of these patients females, mostly between the age of 30–60. The main differentiated histological types are papillary and follicular. The options of the treatment are surgical removal (mainly total),...

Introduction: Human tear is rich in cytokines, i.e. in healthy individuals it exhibits a higher ratio of cytokines to total proteins than that in the serum of the same individual. EOP related to Graves–Basedow disease is thought to develop due to elevation of serum cytokine levels and to an altered cytokine response of the intra- and periorbital tissues. In our present study we focused on the measurement of IL6, IL8 and TNF-α, the relative amount of a lipocalin-type ...

Because measurement of plasma signal activity (PRA) is time-consuming an automated method directly measuring active signal (REN) may be more suitable for clinical practice. The aim of the study was to analyse the diagnostic utility of REN and aldosterone (ALD)/REN ratio as compared to PRA and ALD/PRA ratio.Materials and methods: PRA, REN (DiaSorin) and ALD (Immunotech) were simultaneously measured in 123 plasma samples (83 females and 40 males; mean age,...

Usually, the first laboratory marker for thyroid disorders is TSH. FT4 and FT3 must not be measured unless TSH is out of the reference range. However, the reference range for TSH (and for free thyroid hormones) given by the manufacturers of immunoassays may be not completely valid for screening in iodine-deficient areas and among hospitalized patients either.Aim: Our aim was to constitute specific TSH, FT4, FT3...

Aims: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes due to insulin resistance is increasing in puberty. Authors have investigated whether body weight excess arises only from increased fat content of the body. Different anthropometrical data were also analysed if they are able to predict degree of insulin resistance.Materials and methods: 108 obese children (50 female, 58 male, Tanner st-s1-5, mean age 12.06 years, mean BMI: 30.97 kg/m2) with positive fami...

Long-term follow-up of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients requires yearly measurements of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels is endogenous (4 weeks off-thyroxin) or exogenous (human recombinant TSH injection) high TSH state. Subclinical hyperthyroidism is maintained in the patients throughout the rest of the year. We examined the endothelial function, hemostasis factors and metabolic parameters in short-term iatrogenic hypothyroidism (HO) and in subclinical hyperthyroid...

Drinking water is the major natural source of iodine in many European countries. In the present study, we examined possible sites of iodine loss during the usual water purification process. Water samples from 6 sites during the technological process were taken and analyzed for iodine content. Under laboratory circumstances, prepared iodine in water solution has been used as a model to test the effect of the presence of chlorine. Samples from the purification sites revealed tha...

The optimal treatment of hyperthyroidism in Graves’ disease is still an unresolved question. Hyperthyroidism recurs in 50% of patients after discontinuation of antithyroid therapy. In this retrospective study, Graves’ patients investigated in the endocrine unit of Pecs University between December 2004 and October 2006 were enrolled (68 women, 22 men, age 47 (15–79) years). Antithyroid drug therapy was applied for a minimum of one year and the treatment was withd...

Background: Current available data demonstrate the ability of somatostatin analogues (Ssan) to reduce tumoral size in GH-secreting pituitary adenomas. Somatostatin receptors are present on both tumour cells and vascular endothelium; therefore, potential mechanisms for tumour shrinkage with Ssan include inhibition of cell proliferation, increased cell loss, and inhibition of angiogenesis.Objective: To assess the mechanisms for tumour shrinkage in GH-secre...