Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Permanent hypoparathyroidism can result from immune-mediated destruction of the parathyroid glands. Alternatively it may result from activating antibodies to the calcium sensing receptor that decrease parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. Autoimmune hypoparathyroidism is a common feature of poliglandular autoimmune syndrome type I. Other causes, all very rare, include irradiation and storage of infiltrative diseases of the parathyroid glands. Neurological signs of h...

Introduction: Anorchia or vanishing testis syndrome is defined as the absence of testicular tissue in genetic and phenotypic males. To establish this diagnosis certain criteria must be present, namely non palpable testis during examination under anaesthesia and blind ending spermatic vessels visualized within the retroperitoneu, or the spermatic vessels and vas deferens exiting a closed internal inguinal ring. Bilateral congenital anorchia affects one in 20 000 males.<p cl...

Graves’ disease is characterized by the occurrence of antibodies against thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor that stimulate the gland to produce T4 and T3. It can be accompanied by an infiltrative orbitopathy and oftalmopathy. Another seldom- regognized feature of this disease is thymic hyperplasia.The authors report the case of a 22-year-old woman with Graves’ disease (TSH receptor antibodies 178 U/l) with exuberant oftalmopathy and an ...

Quality of Life (QoL) is a very important issue in the management of a chronic disease like acromegaly. Recently the AcroQol questionnaire was developed to evaluate the QoL in different acromegalic populations. We decided to compare the scores of AcroQol and 2 other different questionnaires: one related to general well-being (SF-36) and the other to evaluate depression (BDI). We preformed a cross-sectional evaluation of a sample of 60 Portuguese acromegalics, 20 men and 40 wom...

Infertility is a growing concern in Western countries. Several factors, including lifestyle habits and increased prevalence of chronic disorders associated with hormonal alterations, increased chronic inflammation and systemic oxidative stress (such as obesity and diabetes mellitus), are contributing to the reduction of reproductive potential among males in modern societies. Evidence suggests these factors negatively impact human sperm quality resulting in a combination of alt...

Methimazole-induced cholestatic jaundice is a rare adverse effect, dose-dependent, occurring within the first 3 months of use, usually reversible within 3 months after discontinuing drug therapy.Case report: Woman, 64 years, history of hyperthiroidism since August 2009, under therapy with methimazole 5 mg/day. The patient was referred to endocrinology department in March 2010, with history of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes mellitus, ...

Introduction and aim: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) presents as a challenge for both health care providers and patients looking to avoid chronic complications and early mortality. Clinical features of patients with long duration T1DM are still poorly studied and debated. The aim of our work was to describe the clinical features of subjects with long duration T1DM.Methods: Cross-sectional study of patients with T1DM with more than 40 years of evolution ...

Case report: 66 year old male with a neck growing mass performed an ultrasonography and fine-needle aspiration biopsy which was suspicious for papillary carcinoma. The patient was submitted to total thyroidectomy and central and left lateral compartments lymph node dissection. The histological report showed a follicular carcinoma of 9 cm, with multiple lymphovascular invasions and skeletal muscle invasion. There was a focally positive surgical margin and resected lymph nodes h...

Introduction: Most obese subjects have a normal thyroid function. Despite that, serum TSH seems to be slightly higher in this population, with a positive correlation with the degree of obesity.Objective: Evaluation of the relationship of serum TSH with BMI, weight, and HOMA-IR in euthyroid obese subjectsMethods: Three hundred obese subjects attending an Obesity Outpatient Clinic and submitted to bariatric surgery between January 20...

Background: Thyroid function, insulin resistance, serum lipid, C-reactive protein (CRP) and homocysteine are associated with an increased cardiovascular risk in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT).Objective: To evaluate the interrelations between thyroid function, insulin resistance, serum lipid concentrations, CRP and homocysteine in patients with AIT and subclinical hypothyroidism.Subjects and methods: We recorded thyroid ...