Endocrine Abstracts

Background: IGF1 is mainly produced in the liver and it induces beneficial effects on many systems. However, the role of IGF1 on the liver itself is poorly understood, probably due to the fact that healthy hepatocytes barely express IGF1 receptors. Previous works in our group showed that IGF1 supplementation induces beneficial actions in cirrhosis, inducing a relevant histological improvement, reducing fibrosis1. Based on these data the aim of this work was to inqui...

Background: IGF1 is mainly produced in the liver and it induces beneficial effects on many systems. However, the role of IGF1 on the own liver is poorly understood, probably due to the fact that healthy hepatocytes barely express IGF1 receptors. Previous works in our group showed that IGF1 supplementation induces beneficial actions in cirrhosis, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antifibrogenic effects. Based on these data the aim of this work was to deep into the me...

Thirty-two years old female G2P1A0 seen at our endocrinology clinic 9 years ago complaining of persistent menstrual irregularities associated to elevated prolactin values. MRI done revealed a pituitary microadenoma. However, she refused treatment for microprolactinoma. Four years afterwards, patient return complaining of recurrent episodes of headache. Repeated MRI showed a pituitary macroadenoma, so start on cabergoline treatment.Once more, patient was ...

Background: GH secretion and action change with age in adult human subjects, and this play an important role in substrate metabolism in aging subjects. Targeted disruption of the GH receptor in mice extends longevity, and this is associated with decreased expression of apoptosis-related genes including caspase-9 (CASP9) in skeletal muscle.Aim: To study DNA methylation of putative GH target genes in skeletal muscle of adult male subjects in relation to bo...

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine characteristics and treatment patterns of Polish acromegalic patients.Methods: A retrospective database analysis was conducted. Adult acromegalic patients treated medically for ≥1 year including at least three injections of lanreotide AUTOGEL 120 were recruited in 36 centres between 29/10/2010 and 31/03/2012. Descriptive analysis was performed to describe demographic and clinical characteristics, treat...

Introduction: Acromegaly is a rare disease caused by GH hypersecretion from a pituitary adenoma. However, accurate estimates of incidence and prevalence are scarce and not based on nationwide populations. It is well known that surgical cure may normalize mortality and improve morbidity but similar data are not available for patients receiving medical treatment.Method: We first validated the ICD-8 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes for acromegaly in The National ...

Objective: Assessment of the health status in a population from a territory with apparently normal iodine intake may take in consideration the incidence of goiter as a mass pathologic process. Considering goiter as a result of both endogenous and exogenous factors, the study of its incidence and correlations with potentially goitrogens represents a prophylactic medical activity. Use of the term ‘paraendemic’ for a certain territory does not justify a ‘relaxation...

The GH deficiency (GHD) may be congenital with or without cause identified or acquired secondary to organic lesion in the hypothalamic region (HH). In all cases a magnetic resonance imaging is necessary.Aim: Investigate the causes of GHD Population and methodology GHD children were followed at the department of endocrinology. In addition to clinical examination, a testing hypophysiogramme is made with glucagon/propranolol/GH testing insulin on GH/cortiso...

Background: GH plays an important role in maintaining physiological morphology and function of the left ventricle (LV). In GH deficient (GHD) patients a systolic and/or diastolic LV dysfunction has been documented. LV systolic dysfunction results from reduced LV mass (LVM), which subsequently leads to a decrease of the LV ejection fraction (EF). Results from clinical trials evaluating the effect of GH replacement therapy on the morphological and functional changes of the LV in...

Introduction: GH deficiency (GHD) is associated with reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and treatment leads to its increase. BMD, a quantitative bone parameter, doesn’t bring whole information about bone status. Nowadays, bone quality shows as main determinant of bone strength, fracture prediction and treatment effect monitoring. A method to assess bone quality through the grey-level texture analysis from lumbar spine DXA scan is trabecular bone score (TBS).<p class="...

IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) are important biomarkers for diagnostics and treatment studies. In different physiological conditions IGFBPs are actively degraded by specific proteases. Due to the detection of intact and fragmented IGFBPs, ELISA or RIA techniques may generate biased IGFBP-data. We thus developed quantitative western ligand blotting for comprehensive monitoring of intact IGFBPs and IGFBP-profiles in biological fluids of vertebrates. The dynamic range for each IGF...

Introduction: PATRO adults is an ongoing, international, open, longitudinal, non-interventional study of the long-term safety and efficacy of Omnitrope (Sandoz), a recombinant human GH (rhGH). This study will provide additional data on the long-term safety of rhGH in adult patients with severe GH deficiency (GHD). Here, we present safety data from an interim analysis.Methods: Eligible patients are male or female adults who are receiving treatment with Om...

Introduction: Long-lived mice with targeted disruption of the GHRH gene (GHRH knockout; GHRHKO) constitute a unique animal model of altered somatotrophic signaling and are characterized by reduced body mass and size, low plasma IGF1 and enhanced insulin sensitivity. These features are also observed in long-lived GH receptor knockout (GHRKO) mice, characterized by increased visceral obesity that usually promotes insulin resistance. GHRKO mice have also increased subcutaneous fa...

Background: Gigantism and acromegaly are the main consequences of GH excess, mainly due to a pituitary adenoma. Surgery is the first therapeutic option, but also medical therapy is employed, being represented mostly by somatostatin analogues (SSA), that reduce both tumour mass and GH hypersecretion. However about 10% of patients is resistant to SSA.PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, activated by growth-factors such as IGF1, is important in regulating many cellular p...

Introduction: Turner syndrome (TS) is a condition caused by structural or numerical abnormalities of X chromosome. Growth deficiency is characteristic for patients with TS, and particular karyotype abnormalities of the X chromosome may be associated with different responsiveness to human GH (hGH) therapy. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of TS karyotype on growth velocity during hGH therapy in TS.Methods: 23 TS patients treated with hGH w...

Exposure of pregnant sheep to increased concentrations of testosterone during midgestation results in a PCOS-like condition in the female offspring that includes increased hepatic IGF1. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular pathophysiology of this increase. We studied 11-month-old female offspring whose mother had been treated with testosterone propionate (TP: 100 mg) in oil (n=8), or oil control (n=4) twice weekly from day 62 to 102 gestatio...