Endocrine Abstracts

Background: To identify a serum prolactin (PRL) cut-off value indicative of a PRL-producing adenoma in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and hyperprolactinaemia and characterize such patients. Materials and methods: In the present retrospective case–control study, the medical records of 528 PCOS women were reviewed. Pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in PCOS patients with PRL levels ≥94.0 ng/ml and/or symptoms suspicious of a pituit...

Introduction: Thyroid autoimmunity and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) are the commonest endocrine disorders in the general population. The aim of the study was to investigate whether there is an association between thyroid autoimmunity and β-cell secretion in patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).Methods/design: 501 patients (381 females) 46.5±14.2 years with IFG and/or IGT and autoimmune thyroidit...

Introduction: Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are rare and heterogeneous neoplasms with variable biological behaviour but generally slow progression.Methods/design: 355 patients with NENs registered in our data-base have been studied (166 females, mean age: 52 years; range: 11–88), during the period 2004–2014. TNM system has been used for staging and proliferation index Ki-67 for grading.Results: Out of 355 patients, 35 (...

Introduction: ACTH-secreting pituitary carcinomas are rare neoplasms but there are not factors till now to predict their aggressive evolution nor a standard practice to their management.Case report: We report a 43-year-old female patient presented in 1990 with Cushing’s syndrome due to ACTH-secreting pituitary microadenoma who had been submitted on trans-sphenoidal surgery with cure as defined by post-operative cortisol serum levels <50 nmol/l. ...

Introduction: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a genetic disorder involving mainly parathyroid tumours, pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) and pituitary tumours. In the present study we have registered demographic, clinical, imaging, pathological characteristics, therapeutic options, response to treatment and overall outcome of patients with MEN1.Methods/design: 35 patients with MEN1 registered in our data base have been studied (14...

Background: Primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) is the most frequent type of endocrine hypertension with a prevalence that is continuously rising. Following the introduction of diagnostic tests that consider both the adrenocorticotropic hormone effect andrenin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS), the post-dexamethasone saline infusion test (D-SIT) and the overnight dexamethasone, captopril, valsartan test (DCVT) using pharmaceutical RAAS blockade, a higher prevalenc...

Introduction: Autonomous aldosterone secretion (AAS) is present in approximately 10% of hypertensives. Adrenal incidentalomas (AI) can be found in up to 19% of hypertensive individuals. However, data on the incidence of AAS in hypertensive patients with AI is scarce. Our aim was to evaluate the adrenal aldosterone secretory profile in patients with adrenal adenomas with and without arterial hypertension.Patients and methods: We investigated 72 normotensi...

Introduction: Acromegaly is well known to induce hypertrophy and hyperplasia in many organs, i.e. thyroid gland, colon, prostate. This action is presumably exerted by the elevated GH and IGF1 levels. In our study, we investigated the alterations of the adrenal glands seen in acromegaly.Aim: To assess the changes in adrenal morphology and functional status in a series of patients with acromegaly.Subjects and methods: Fifty-four acro...

Background: Subclinical Cushing’s syndrome (SCS) due to incidentally discovered adrenal adenomas (AI) has been associated with increased prevalence of hypertension, obesity, and impaired glucose tolerance which are established risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity. Although functional and morphological (structural) changes of endothelium have been correlated with cardiovascular morbidity this has not been looked into detail in patients with adrenal incidentalomas....

The ACTH receptor (ACTH-R) is the second member of the melanocortin receptor family that includes five seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors, and has been shown to be predominantly expressed in the adrenal cortex. It has been postulated that ACTH may regulate its own secretion through ultra-short loop feedback within the pituitary, and as ACTH-secreting adenomas are characterised by resistance to glucocorticoid feedback, they may also have dysregulated ACTH feedback....