Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Aldosterone-producing adenomas (APA) are a major cause of primary aldosteronism. Somatic mutations explain the excess aldosterone production in the majority of patients with APA with mutations in KCNJ5 encoding a potassium channel the most prevalent in most reported populations. Mechanisms driving cell proliferation are largely undefined.Design and method: Quantitative transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq was used to identify differen...

Introduction: There is a long delay between the onset of symptoms and correct diagnosis of acromegaly. This study aimed to explore the potential of hand size as a screening tool of acromegaly. Here we present first results of a new screening project.Method: We measured scan-copies of acromegalics (n=27, 9 women, age 18–84 years) and controls (n=111, 71 women, age 19–81 years) and analyzed surface areas of palm and thenar and m...

Introduction: Treatment with dopamine agonists in patients with PRL adenomas has been associated with weight loss in short-term studies. However, long-term studies on weight changes are lacking. Taq1A is a restriction fragment length polymorphism considered as a gene marker for the D2DR gene. The presence of at least one A1 allele is linked to reduced brain dopaminergic activity due to reduced receptor binding and lower density of the dopamine two receptor.<p clas...

Overexpression and aberrant activation of the insulin-like growth factor system plays a key role in tumor cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in many human tumors. Different therapies targeting IGF1-receptor (IGF1-R) have been developed and currently, some of these agents are evaluated in preclinical and early clinical trials with promising results. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated that combined treatments with doxorubicin, enhance the efficiency of anti-IGF1-R ther...

Background: Adrenal masses can be detected by ultrasound with high sensitivity and specificity. However, a differentiation between benign and malignant adrenal masses is presently not possible. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound has been studied intensively with excellent results for the characterization of liver lesions.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the characterization of adrenal mass in a proof of...

Background: Low testosterone levels in men occur with increasing age and are associated with increased morbidity, particularly metabolic syndrome, and mortality. As the prevalence of hypogonadal testosterone levels has not been assessed in the primary care setting in Europe, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of low testosterone levels in this setting, and the patient characteristics and comorbidities associated with it.Methods: We measured testoster...

Objectives: Acromegaly is associated with elevated cardiovascular morbidity. Medical treatment of acromegaly does not only lead to a normalisation of the somatotroph axis, but can also negatively influence cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities.Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated cardiovascular risk markers (glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, lipoprotein a, homocystein, CRP) in relation to biochemical control and m...

11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human obesity and insulin resistance through 11-oxoreductase activation of cortisol (F) from cortisone (E) stimulating adipocyte differentiation and hepatic glucose output. In its purified state however, 11beta-HSD1 is a dehydrogenase inactivating F to E. In patients with cortisone reductase deficiency we recently identified two inactivating mutations, delta29bp and R453Q, withi...

(This poster is based on OC38)...

Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor of the adrenal medulla, responsible for excessive secretion of catecholamines. Symptoms include the classic triad: headache, palpitations and sweating, usually accompanied by hypertension. We report the case of a pheochromocytoma diagnosed following an episode of testicular necrosis. A 72-year-old patient with history of psoriasis and prostate resection underwent emergency surgery for increased testicular pain suspicious of testicular tumor. Pa...