Endocrine Abstracts

The first case of pituitary abscess was described a 100 years ago and since then, only a few 100 cases have been reported in the literature, mainly as case reports. Bacterial infections are the most common etiology, while tuberculosis, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections occur much less frequently. Pituitary infections may be primary or secondary and may develop due to hematogenous seeding or by direct extension of adjacent infections (sphenoid sinusitis, cavernous sinus t...

Introduction: Lesions of the pituitary stalk (PSL) are a challenging diagnostic problem for clinicians. Because of the critical location and role of the pituitary stalk, mass lesions in this area are not often biopsied, and the diagnosis may be based on clinical evaluation and imaging. Due to biopsy risk, about 40% PSL diagnosis are ‘probable’ or ‘unknown’.The main clinical symptoms of PSL are visual field defect, DI and hypopituitarism.<p class="abstex...

Positron emission combined with computed tomography using 18F-deoxy-glucose (FDG–PET/CT) is increasingly used in the staging and detection of malignant disease. Normal pituitary is not visualized by routine FDG–PET/CT and its radiological evaluation relies predominantly on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The role of FDG–PET/CT in differential diagnosis of sellar mass, in patients investigated for malignant disease, will be discussed.<p class="ab...

Introduction: Generously supported by IPSEN)-->Active acromegaly is reported to be associated with considerable body composition changes, with significant lean body mass changes found only in men.Patients and methods: In patients with active acromegaly (n=40) 24 females and 16 males, 48.9±6.4 years old, with BMI of 28.04±1.27 kg/m2, diagnosed 4.15±1.09 years ago, body composit...

Background: Generously supported by IPSEN)-->Hypopituitarism is considered to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and early death in humans. However, some studies showed that most patients with isolated GH deficiency or combined pituitary hormonal deficiency due to gene mutations (PROP 1, GH receptors gene, GH-1 gene) can survive to advanced age.Aim: To collect clinical data on patients with congenital ...

Introduction: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is disorder of one or more parathyroid glands, characterized by inadequately increased PTH secretion, almost always followed by hypercalcemia. Calcitonin, secreted by parafollicular C-cells in thyroid gland, is hypocalcemic hormone which partly acts as physiological antagonist of PTH.Aim: To evaluate calcitonin response in calcium infusion test in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.<p class="abs...

Hyponatremia can unmask hypopituitarism and secondary adrenal insufficiency due to potent non-osmotic stimulation of vasopressin release under stressful conditions. Patients and methods: In a retrospective study 25 patients (13f/12m, age 58.9±18.6 years) with hyponatremia (119.7±10.5 mmol/l) were identified among 260 in-patients treated for hypopituitarism in our department over a decade. Results: Hyponatremia was recorded in 9.6% of our patients. In 84% it was the k...

Introduction: Skeletal complications are among most persistent and invalidating systemic impacts of acromegaly. Assessment of bone health in acromegaly by dual-X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) alone might be insufficient or even misleading.Patients and methods: Patients with acromegaly (n=170) were classified as active (n=104), operatively cured (n=34) or medically controlled (n=32). We excluded patients with metabolic bone ...

Background: Inadequate glucocorticoid (GC) replacement may be associated with overexposure to GC, which can adversely influence metabolic and cardio-vascular state of hypopituitary growth hormone deficient adult patients (A-GHD). In this study we compared metabolic profile of ACTH insufficient and sufficient patients in A-GHD not treated with GH.Patients and methods: A cohort of 260 patients (age 48.6±12 years and BMI 28.7±6.6 kg/m2)...

Background: Inadequate glucocorticoid (GC) replacement may be associated with overexposure to GC, which can adversely influence metabolic and cardio-vascular state of hypopituitary growth hormone deficient adult patients (A-GHD). In this study we compared metabolic profile of ACTH insufficient and sufficient patients in A-GHD not treated with GH.Patients and methods: A cohort of 260 patients (age 48.6±12 years and BMI 28.7±6.6 kg/m2)...