Endocrine Abstracts

The adrenal cortex produces aldosterone, cortisol and adrenal androgens. ACTH regulates the production of both cortisol and adrenal androgens. However there are physiological and pathophysiological conditions where the production of these steroids is divergent. We examined the effect angiotension II (A-II) and insulin on the relative production of cortisol and adrenal androgens in the human adrenal H-295 cell line. We determined the ability of these secretogogues to regulate t...

The adrenal cortex produces aldosterone, cortisol and adrenal androgens in response to secretogogues including ACTH, angiotensin II(A-II) and insulin. Differential regulation of adrenal steroids is through the modulation of specific key steroidogenic enzymes. The capacity of the adrenal to produce cortisol is controlled in part by the transcription of 3beta-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase (3beta HSD) and production of adrenal androgens by 17 hydroxylase/17-20 lyase (CYP17). Protei...

Objective: Although the importance of islet α-cell dysfunction in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes has been reappraised, data on whether increase or decrease of glucagon relative to insulin is related with glucose metabolism parameters or metabolic diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) in clinical settings are very limited. Therefore, we investigated the association between glucagon-to-insulin ratio(G/I ratio) and presence of NAFLD and metabolic para...

A man presented at age 32 with clinical features of Cushing’s syndrome and biochemical investigations were consistent with ectopic ACTH. The only potential source on imaging was a 5 mm right lung nodule on chest CT but which was too small to biopsy. Medical therapy was not successful at controlling his Cushing’s features so he was referred for thoracotomy. Following lobectomy, the lung nodule was found to be a carcinoid tumour. Post operatively, the patient’s sy...

Evaluation of learning methods similar to deep learning and device using deep learning for the diagnosis of thyroid nodules.BackgroundWe recently developed a deep convolutional neural network algorithm (SEveRance Artificial intelligence program, SERA) using 13,560 ultrasonography images of thyroid nodules labeled benign and malignant and this algorithm showed comparable diagnostic performance with experienced radiologists. We wondered whether this self-learning method of SERA ...

Purpose: Although some studies presented good outcome of Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) for Papillary Thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), its benefit has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of our study was to report the results from a prospective study investigating efficacy and safety of RFA in active surveillance candidate for low-risk PTMC. Materials and Methods: Since November 2018, RFA has been prospectively performed in active surveillance candidates...

The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) has a modular domain structure containing a C-terminal ligand-binding domain (LBD) that consists of 11 α-helices (designated H1 to H12) organized in an antiparallel helical sandwich. The LBD undergoes a conformational change upon aldosterone binding such that H12 forms a stable interaction with helices 3, 4 and 5 to create an AF-2 domain, a hydrophobic cleft on the surface of the LBD, which serves as a docking platform for transcription...

Background: Although metabolic syndrome was prevalent in patients with autonomous cortisol secretion, there are limited data for those with nonfunctioning adrenal incidentaloma (NFAI). This study aimed to compare metabolic features and body composition of patients with NFAI to referent subjects without adrenal mass.Methods: This study included 141 patients with biochemically confirmed NFAI and 1:3 age and sex matched controls without adrenal incidentalom...

Purpose: We conducted this study to determine the prevalence and incidence of pituitary tumors in South Korea.Methods: This is a nationwide population- based retrospective study. We analysed two national databases, the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) claims database and Rare Intractable Disease (RID) registration database, which include information on every patients with pituitary tumor diagnosed through uniform criteria from 2009 to 2013. Pituita...

Background: Cortisol and growth hormone elevations are critical counterregulatory responses to severe hypoglycemia. However, the proportion and clinical characteristics of type 2 diabetic patients who fail to show appropriate cortisol and/or growth hormone secretion in response to severe hypoglycemia have not been investigated.Methods: We measured the plasma cortisol and growth hormone levels in type 2 diabetes with severe hypoglycemia (defined as blood ...