Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Hypercortisolism in Cushing’s syndrome (CS) determines increased mortality and morbidity. Hypercortisolism is also present in chronic depressive disorders and stress, where telomere length (TL) is shorter than in controls. We hypothesized that telomere shortening may occur and contribute to premature morbidity in CS.Aim: Investigate TL in CS compared to matched controls, and longitudinally in a subset of CS patients evaluated both with...

First generation somatostatin receptor ligands (SRL) are the first-line drugs in primary acromegaly treatment or after surgical failure in patients with active acromegaly. In previous studies we confirmed the association of the expression of SSTR2, Ki67 and E-cadherin (CDH1) in responsive GH-secreting adenomas response to SRL. Moreover, E-cadherin showed a greater predictive capacity than most of the markers described. Loss of E-cadherin is a typical mark of ...

Introduction: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is a sensitive, non-invasive imaging technique capable of measuring brain metabolites in vivo. Chronic exposure to endogenous hypercortisolism in Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is associated with negative effects on memory and hippocampal volumes, even after biochemical cure.Objective: To investigate metabolites in the hippocampi of CS patients and controls, using 1</sup...

Introduction: Mutations affecting hypothalamic development in humans have been identified in genes that affect isolated domains of hypothalamic function leading to restricted phenotypes, such as obesity or hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. We describe the first human cases of diabetes insipidus and combined pituitary hormone deficiency due to a mutation in a gene regulating hypothalamic development.Results: Six affected individuals from a highly consanguin...

Introduction: Patients with Cushing’s disease have significantly impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Effective treatment is needed to treat Cushing’s disease and improve HRQoL; however, there are currently no approved medical treatments for Cushing’s disease. The effect of pasireotide on HRQoL in patients with Cushing’s disease was evaluated as part of a randomized, phase III study.Methods: Patients with persistent/recurr...

Ghrelin was isolated from stomach by its ability to stimulate growth hormone (GH) release through the GH-secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a). However, ghrelin/GHS-R expression in multiple tissues and tumor types suggested additional roles for this tandem. Ghrelin, a 28-aminoacid peptide, requires a unique O-acylation at its Ser-3 residue to bind GHS-R1a and release GH. Conversely, unacylated ghrelin (UAG), initially considered inactive, seems to play distinct metabolic role...

Two adipokines highly expressed in fat mass, adiponectin with antiinflammatory and antiatherogenic properties, and visfatin with an insulin-mimetic effect, are potential contributors to bone metabolism. In acromegaly data on adiponectin are contradictory and there are no data on visfatin.Objectives: To evaluate adiponectin and visfatin in acromegaly, compared to control subjects and to analyze their relationship with body composition and bone mineral mar...

Quality of life is impaired in patients who have suffered Cushing’s syndrome (CS).Aim: Evaluate QoL with the new questionnaire CushingQoL in Spanish patients in a clinical practice setting and compare it with a generic QoL questionnaire, EuroQoL-5 Dimensions (5D) and its Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).Patients and methods: Forty-three patients with CS (38 pituitary-dependent, 28 cured) were approached during their regular endocri...

Chronic exposure to hypercortisolism significantly impacts on patient’s health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We developed a disease-generated questio-nnaire to evaluate HRQoL in Cushing’s syndrome (CS) (CushingQoL); in 125 (104 females) patients recruited in Spain, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Italy, clinical and hormonal data were collected and correlated with results of the generic SF-36 questionnaire, a question on self-perceived general heal...

High dose and long-term glucocorticoid (GC) therapy reduce bone mass and negatively affect the metabolic profile. Patients in remission after successful treatment of Cushing’s syndrome (CS) often present hypoadrenalism and require long-term GC replacement.Objective: To evaluate the effect of GC therapy on bone and metabolic parameters in women after long-term remission of CS. Materials and methods: Thirty-two women (mean age: 50±14 years) with ...