Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Pituitary surgery is currently considered the preferred treatment for Cushing’s disease (CD) and achieves remission in 55–85% of patients. Cortisol falls quickly after surgery, so that early post-operative cortisol level has been used as predictor of remission. There’s no agreement about optimal timing for cortisol measurement, with wide variability between centres.Objective: To assess the value of early post-operative serum ...

Introduction: Cushing’s disease (CD) is characterised by pathologic hypercortisolism caused by an ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma. The primary modality for definitive treatment is pituitary surgery. The rarity of CD has made it difficult to establish reliable predictive factors of outcomes.Aim: Assessment of clinical, hormonal, radiological, surgical and histological findings as predictors of remission and relapse of CD.Metho...

Introduction: Incidental papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in patients undergoing thyroidectomy for benign multinodular disease is a well-recognised finding. Its true prevalence remains uncertain and shows great variability between studies, ranging from 7–25%. Our purpose was to review the prevalence of PTC in thyroid glands removed for benign nodular disease at a Northern Portuguese tertiary hospital.Methods: From December 2012 to December 2014, th...

Introduction: Thionamides are important drugs in the treatment of hyperthyroidism. Despite that, they can be associated with rare but serious complications, which require drug discontinuation.Case report: Sixty-five-year-old woman with Graves’ disease, treated in 2002 with methimazole and in remission until 2012. Recurrence of Graves’ disease was diagnosed in March 2012 and she was started on propylthiouracil (PTU) 150 mg per day. She presented...

Introduction: Patients with psychotic or depressive disorders have an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome, not only because of their unhealthy lifestyle (sedentary habits, inadequate diet and smoking) but also because of the negative impact of antipsychotic agents (specially clozapine and olanzapine) on several metabolic features. These include overweight/obesity, dyslipidemia, development of new-onset type 2 diabetes, worsening of pre-existing diabetes and diabeti...

Introduction: Diffuse lipomatosis of the thyroid is a very rare disease, characterized by extensive infiltration of thyroid parenchyma by mature adipose tissue. It is not accompanied by accumulation of amyloid fibrils.Clinical report: Male, 47 years old, followed in Endocrinology by hypothyroidism, since 13 years old, medicated with levothyroxine, with unremarkable growth and pshicomotor development. In 2002, thyroid echography showed a solid and heterog...

Introduction: Tumour cachexia-anorexia syndrome (CAS) is a complex disorder characterized by progressive nutritional and metabolic alterations that lead to loss of muscle and adipose tissue observed in advanced-stage cancer. CAS indicates unfavourable prognosis, regardless of cancer type. Under the influence of permanent aggression, we have evaluated the effects of the cancer cachexia development on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.Methods: ...

Introduction: The association between autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and endogenous hypercortisolism is rare. The latter is usually misinterpreted as iatrogenic in the case of patients taking exogenous systemic corticosteroid therapy. The excess endogenous glucocorticoids may play an important role in suppressing autoimmune activity. Similarly, the abrupt resolution of endogenous hypercortisolism may lead to a rebound worsening of autoimmuni...

Introduction: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) patients who undergo parathyroidectomy can develop isolated intact parathormone (iPTH) elevation with normal calcemia. Common causes are: renal insufficiency (RI), vitamin D deficit and hypomagnesemia.Aim: To identify clinical factors associated with iPTH elevation in patients submitted to surgery treatment.Methods: The medical records of patients admitted into Santo António&#14...

Evidences have suggested that the endocannabinoid system is overactive in obesity, resulting in enhanced endocannabinoid levels in both circulation and visceral adipose tissue. The cannabinoid CB1 receptor is expressed in the adipose tissue besides the brain. Few studies in vitro suggest that CB1 activation increases glucose uptake in adipocytes. The objective of the present study was to investigate the CB1 receptor modulation on glucose transporter GLUT4 expression, which is ...