Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Sox2 is a widely expressed marker of progenitor and stem cells in various organs, strongly expressed within Rathke’s pouch and the neural ectoderm. It exerts a critical role in the early stages of pituitary development but it is still expressed in the adult gland. Sox2 expression in pituitary adenomas and its possible correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics have not been investigated so far.Aim: To evaluate the immunohistoch...

Context: Hair cortisol has been recently studied to determine evidence of hypercortisolemia in humans. This test may be valuable in estimating cortisol levels, particularly in patients with cyclical Cushing’s syndrome (CS).Objective: To determine correlations with biochemical evidence of CS, and to compare hair cortisol measurements in patients with CS to normative data.Methods: Hair samples from 49 study subjects were collect...

Introduction: An improvement of survival in patients with acromegaly was claimed in the last years, with multimodal new therapies.Aims: To assess cure rates of different therapeutic protocols and the impact of these therapies on survival.Methods: 334 patients (224 F/110 M, mean age 48.1±0.7 years) with acromegaly admitted in a single Neuroendocrinology Department between Jan 2001 and Dec 2013 were retrospectively studied by GH...

Background: Suitable postoperative radiotherapy (RT) of nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas (NFMAs) is still controversial, subjected to rapid technical and medical progress.Patients and methods.: We studied 87 patients with NFMA to identify factors affecting tumor control such as the time of RT and tumor pathology. Partial pituitary surgery was performed either by transfrontal (30 patients) or transsphenoidal (57 patients) approach. An immunoperoxida...

Introduction: The heel quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is useful tool in the assessment of fracture risk especially if cost issues are involved. It might be helpful in follow-up the patients who will not be treated with anti-osteoporotic drugs.Aim: To present the bone evaluation (DXA) after a period of time in patients who are initially assesed by both DXA and QUS.Material and patients: This is a prospective pilot study in a group of...

Introduction: Malignant melanoma is a challenging illness for researchers due to unknown hormonal disorders involved in promoting/developing this disease. Some authors accept nowadays, that prolactin is involved in extrapituitary carcinogenesis.The authors aimed to study the status of prolactin in patients with melanocytic lesions and the impact of surgical removal on prolactinemia.Method: The study included 128 adults with melanom...

Background: PCOS-associated increased metabolic risk may be selective, owing to its heterogeneous nature. Identification of high-risk individuals could enable better studies and prevention of complications.Aim: To characterize the metabolic risk, as metabolic syndrome (MetS), of specific PCOS subphenotypes.Subjects and methods: Romanian PCOS (Rotterdam criteria) and 64 controls, 18–35 years. PCOS subphenotypes were defined: i)...

Introduction: Patients with non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) and hipopituitarism had a reduced life expectancy.Aims: To assess mortality ratio and to identify prognostic factors associated with mortality in patients with NFPA in the last decade.Methods: A 196 patients (83 F/113 M, mean age 52.7±0.9 years) with NFPA admitted in a single Neuroendocrinology Department between January 2001 and December 2010 were retrospec...

Background: A large spectrum of AIP gene mutations has been identified in familial and sporadic pituitary adenomas (PA) with over 70 different mutations described to date. c.47G>A, p.R16H is an AIP exon 1 variant of unknown significance, its contribution to pituitary adenoma development being controversial.Aim: Characterization of p.R16H prevalence in a large Romanian cohort of PA patients and controls.Patients and methods: spo...

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...