Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown aetiology, characterized by non-caseified granulomatous reaction that can involve multiple organs. The disease typically presents with pulmonary infiltrates, bilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy and uveitis, but may also less frequently affect other organs, including the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Malignancy rates in sarcoidosis patients have been reported as 1 to 2%1,2, chronic inflammation bei...

Case: A 56-year-old patient was referred to our endocrinology unit for management of severe hypercalcemia. He had complained initially from asthenia, intractable nausea and vomiting and weight loss (10 kg), but now also suffered from polyuria-polydipsia, bradypsychia and bradylalia, and diffuse joint pain with loss of strength in the lower limbs. Initial laboratory investigations showed a parathyroid crisis with marked increases of parathyroid hormone (PTH) at 2138.5 pg/ml (45...

Background: Insulinomas are the most common functional neuroendocrine tumours of the pancreas. Hypoglycaemic manifestations are highly variable and largely independent on tumour size and severity of insulin hypersecretion.Objectives: In this study we investigated the clinical, biological and tumoural characteristics of a large series of patients with insulinoma and we evaluated the sensitivity of peripheral tissues to insulin before and after surgery.</p...

Gangliocytomas are uncommon neuronal tumors that can sometimes cause endocrine syndromes. A few such cases have been reported in association with Cushing’s disease. In most instances, the tumor contained CRH and was associated with pituitary corticotroph hyperplasia or adenoma (mixed lesion). Only one case of isolated gangliocytoma causing Cushing’s disease per se has been described.We report the case of a 62 year-old woman whose clinical pictu...

Two nationwide surveys on acromegaly (AcroBel-1 and 2) have been performed in Belgium at an interval of five years, including centralized GH and IGF1 measurements in most patients. A normal IGF1 for age was observed in 56% of 311 vs 74% of 365 treated patients, in 2004 and 2009 respectively.Factors responsible for this improvement were investigated. A selection bias was unlikely as the follow-up rate was higher in patients with active (83%) or medically ...

To evaluate the epidemiology and global quality of care of acromegaly in Belgium, all endocrinologists treating patients with acromegaly were invited to participate in a nationwide survey extending from 15-6-2003 till 30-9-2004, aiming to include all patients (including deaths) that were in follow up or newly diagnosed after 1-1-2000. The project was ethically approved and written informed consent obtained. Retrospective data on demographics, pathology, complications and treat...

Introduction: Cushing’s disease (CD) is a severe disease, associated with an increased rate of comorbidities and mortality. Remission rate after surgery of pituitary tumor, is around 78%. Relapse occurs in 13% of patients within 10-years after surgery. According to guidelines, patients with unfeasible or non-curative surgery, require additional treatment, including medical therapies. Metyrapone, inhibits 11ß-hydroxylase enzyme, blocking the final step of cortisol syn...

Objectives: Surgery of pheochromocytomas (PC) still carries a high risk of hemodynamic complications during the perioperative period. We aimed to evaluate the influence of their secretory phenotype and preoperative alpha-blocker treatment on surgical outcome.Design: A retrospective monocentric study at a tertiary medical center.Patients: 80 consecutive patients operated for an adrenal PC between 1988 and 2018.<p class="abstext"...

Introduction: Primary Adrenal Insufficiency (PAI or Addison’s disease) is a rare disease with an increasing prevalence that may be complicated by life-threatening acute adrenal crisis. Valid epidemiological data are difficult to obtain. In Belgium, a national PAI registry had not been established yet.Objective: We collected epidemiological and clinical data in a large cohort of adult patients with a known Addison’s disease to have a better know...

To estimate the point prevalence of active Cushing’s disease (CD) in Belgium, all endocrinologists were invited to perform a retrospective chart review of the CD patients they had been treating between 1-1-2009 and 31-12-2010.Only patients requiring cortisol lowering therapy because of cortisol excess could be included, such as de novo patients (n=53), previously diagnosed patients with persisting/recurrent disease after pituitary surgery a...