Endocrine Abstracts

Systems Medicine is an interdisciplinary field of study that deals with systems of the human body as part of an integrated whole, incorporating biochemical, physiological, and environment interactions. Systems Medicine draws on systems science and systems biology, and considers complex interactions within the human body with a patient’s genomics, behavior and environment perspective. The earliest uses of the term systems medicine appeared in 1992, it is a modern approach ...

Endogenous hypercortisolism and chronic glucocorticoid (GC) therapy reduce bone mass, increase central fat mass, alter adipokines and enhance cardiovascular risk. Surgery (pituitary, adrenal or for ectopic ACTH) can control hypercortisolism in 90% of patients in experienced hands, and is often followed by inhibition of the adrenal axis, requiring substitution therapy with GC for months or years. We have been interested in learning on long-term outcome of ‘cured’ CS p...

Background: Persistent Hypoparathyroidism (PH) is a condition characterized by inappropriately low concentrations of PTH that lead to hypocalcemia. The treatment cornerstones of PH are calcium and calcitriol supplementation; however, several patients do not achieve adequate control of the disease under this conventional therapy. Notably, no biomarker of risk of ‘resistance’ has yet been identified. Based on the fact that obesity alters the vitamin D-calcium homeostas...

Introduction: Cushing’s syndrome (CS) has been related to higher psychopathology. Psychopathology can be related to poor memory performance, and low quality of life. The aim of this study is to establish the relationship between the three parameters and with subjective symptom perception in CS.Methods/design: Thirty six patients in remission of CS and 36 matched controls for age, sex and education years were included in the study. They completed SCL...

Introduction: FKBP5 is a protein that regulates glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity, via an ultra-short negative feedback mechanism. Variations in the FKBP5 gene can influence the response to glucocorticoids (GC). Hypercortisolaemia plays a role on impairment of brain function and could be mediated by epigenetic variations of the FKBP5 gene. Cushing’s syndrome (CS), a disease characterized by hypercortisolaemia, is associated with memory deficits, lower ...

Introduction: Cushing’s syndrome (CS) has been associated with low quality of life, even after biochemical cure. However little data is available on long term follow-up. The aim of the study was to analyse 10-year follow-up of quality of life (QoL) in patients in remission of CS.Methods: 24 patients in remission of CS followed in Hospital Sant Pau were included in this study (3 men, 21 pituitary origin, 3 adrenal; mean baseline age 45.1 ± 14.1...

Gastrointestinal abnormalities in acromegaly include dolichomegacolon and increased prevalence of colonic polyps. No data are available on the small intestine. The aims of this study were to investigate orocecal transit time (OCTT) and the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in acromegaly. 41 acromegalic patients and 30 controls entered the study. Acromegalics were classified according to whether they were on medical treatment with somatostatin analogs (SS...

Introduction: Cushing’s disease (CD) and acromegaly, despite their different specific symptoms, often present psychopathology (mainly depression and anxiety) even after hormonal normalization. However, their psychopathological profiles may be different. The aim of this study was to analyse the psychopathological profile in successfully treated Acromegaly and CD, and to compare both diseases. Current hormonal evaluation and time since endocrine control will also be analyse...

Purpose: To evaluate whether the degree of response to surgical pre-treatment with somatostatin receptor ligands (SRL) predicts alterations in blood glucose levels.Patients and methods: We retrospectively studied 181 patients attending the Unit of Neurosurgery of our Hospital prior to transsphenoidal surgery. All patients had a diagnosis of acromegaly (nadir GH during OGTT >0.4 ng/ml; and IGF-I above age-standardized UNL); diagnosis of diabetes (DM) ...

Introduction: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that has been linked to several cardiovascular risk factors and bone status. Stress and corticosteroid exposure can affect BDNF levels, although this has never been studied in Cushing’s syndrome (CS). The aims of this study were to establish if BDNF levels were reduced in CS and to check possible associations to cardiovascular risk factors and bone status.Methods: 52 patients (18 ac...