Endocrine Abstracts

Graves’ hyperthyroidism (GH) and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism (HH) are the opposite ends of the clinical expression of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD). AITD are multifactorial ‘complex’ diseases in which immune responses against thyroid antigens develop in genetic susceptible subjects, provoked by environmental factors. Susceptibility genes include immunoregulatory genes (HLA, CTLA-4, PTPN22, CD4 and FCRL3) and thyroid-specific genes (TSHR and Tg). Environ...

Addison’s disease is a rare disorder and mostly due to an immune-mediated adrenal destruction similar to the organ specific loss of function in autoimmune hypothyroidism in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis or type 1 diabetes. Adrenal insufficiency occurs thereby as isolated disease or is accompanied by other autoimmune disorders forming the autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome (mostly APS2). A major problem of Addison’s disease is that the diagnosis is often late or may be ...

Autoimmune hypophysitis (AH) is characterized by lymphocytic infiltration and eventually destruction of the pituitary tissue. AH accounts for ~1% of pituitary masses and 0.5% of hypopituitarism. Although it has been recognized as an uncommon pituitary disease, its true frequency is not known but certainly underestimated. AH may affect pre- and post-menopausal women, men and children, but most cases are reported in women during reproductive age. AH may be associated with other ...