Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: To evaluate whether serum GH and IGF1 levels achieved after 3 months treatment with somatostatin analogues (SSA) are concordant with the efficacy of SSA after longer treatment with the same dose.Patients and methods: From 71 patients with acromegaly treated with SSA in our clinic, in 38 of them (28 women, 10 men, aged 22–62 years) data on serum GH and IGF1 were available at baseline, after 3 months and at the last evaluation on the same S...

Background: Hyponatremia is a common electrolyte abnormality, especially in elderly, hospitalized patients, with a prevalence of severe hyponatremia (<125 mmol/l) up to 6–8%. Pituitary insufficiency (TSH+ACTH) may be difficult to diagnose, but it is important to differentiate it from SIADH and cerebral salt wasting syndrome.Aim: To describe the aetiology and outcome of patients with hyponatremia due to pituitary insufficiency in a tertiary endoc...

Introduction: The heel Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) evaluates the bone health, with good results if the clinical risk factors are also evaluated for each patient. Among these, the body mass index (BMI) may be protective or risk factor for a fragility fracture, depending on the values.Aim: We present a study in postmenpausal women evaluated by QUS and BMI.Patients & method: This is a study in 330 patients (women in menopause wh...

Introduction: The pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas is incompletely understood. It was recently demonstrated that mutations in AIP, a novel tumor suppressor gene, are causing the familial isolated pituitary adenoma syndrome. Although initial data suggested that AIP mutations are rare in non-familial cases, a recent study demonstrated an increased prevalence in young sporadic macroadenoma patients.Aim: To perform a systematic screening of AIP mutations i...

Background: Hirsutism is a major feature of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the only accepted clinical sign of hyperandrogenism for its diagnosis, according to the androgen excess society (AES) recommendations. Previous studies demonstrated that hirsutism can be influenced by factors other than hyperandrogenism per se.Aim: To detect factors influencing hirsutism severity in PCOS.Patients and methods: Hundred and sev...

Introduction: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity are related, yet different complex diseases, with the same genes possibly playing different roles in each disease. INSIG2, an obesity-associated gene (by rs7566605 C/C genotype) is a good candidate for PCOS. Its genotypes were not associated with obesity in PCOS patients. To date, there are no published association studies of rs7566605 with PCOS itself.Aim: To perform a case-control associati...

Introduction: The concentrations of pituitary hormones in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are much lower that their serum counterpart.Aim: To study the CSF access for pituitary glycoprotein hormones (GPH) in patients with pituitary adenomas (PA).Patients and methods: In 221 cases submitted to transsphenoidal surgery for PA (85 acromegaly – ACM, 92 nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas – NFA, 44 prolactinomas – PRM) the sur...

We present an experimental study on human prolactinoma in cell culture from a patient that partially responded to cabergoline treatment and had to have surgical treatment.Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of cabergoline, dopamine and melatonin on prolactin secretion and cell proliferation in human prolactinoma cell culture from a patient that had transsphenoidal surgery.Material and methods: Tissue specimen derived...

Introduction: Monoclonality of pituitary adenomas is an established fact. Still, there are exceptions and polyclonality may correlate with aggressive tumor behavior. In order to test association of clonality with pituitary adenoma characteristics in a series from Romania, we implemented a protocol for X-chromosome inactivation analysis at the androgen receptor (AR) locus (HUMARA) and validated it in a number of tumor samples.Objective: To establish and v...

Introduction: Parasellar extension of macroprolactinomas defined on imaging criteria was reported to be an independent predictor of hormonal resistance to dopamine agonists (DA).Methods: Two hundred and twelve patients with macroprolactinomas (87 M/125 F), treated with DA for 5 years median period; prolactin (fluoroimmunoassay or chemiluminescence), CT scan and/or MRI with contrast agents were performed; maximum diameter evolution was reported.<p cla...