Clinical endocrinology
-
Clinical endocrinology · Jul 2012
Chemerin levels are positively correlated with abdominal visceral fat accumulation.
Chemerin, a recently discovered adipocytokine, may be linked to obesity and obesity-associated metabolic complications. However, the relationship between visceral fat accumulation and chemerin is still unknown. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum chemerin levels and body composition as measured by computed tomography (CT). ⋯ Abdominal visceral fat accumulation, blood pressure and lipid profile were significantly associated with serum chemerin levels. Our findings suggest that chemerin may be a mediator that links visceral obesity to cardiovascular risk factors.
-
Clinical endocrinology · Jul 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized, double-blind, crossover study comparing two- and four-dose hydrocortisone regimen with regard to quality of life, cortisol and ACTH profiles in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency.
Current guidelines on how to divide the daily cortisol substitution dose in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) are controversial and mainly based on empirical data. ⋯ The four-dose regimen gave a higher serum cortisol before tablet intake in the morning (P = 0·027) and a higher 24-h cortisol(AUC) (P < 0·0001) compared with the two-dose period. In contrast, a lower median plasma ACTH in the morning before tablet intake (P = 0·003) and a lower 24-h ln(ACTH(AUC) ) were found during the four-dose period. The patients preferred the four-dose regimen (P = 0·03), and the HRQoL scores tended to be higher (high score indicates better HRQoL) for the four-dose period. In summary, a four-dose regimen gives increased availability of cortisol and an enhanced effect with a less elevated ACTH in the morning in comparison with a two-dose regimen but the effect on HRQoL remains inconclusive.
-
Clinical endocrinology · Jul 2012
Muscle pain and serum creatine kinase are not associated with low serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels in patients receiving statins.
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated in some studies with nonspecific musculoskeletal pain and, more specifically, with statin-induced myalgia, which was ameliorated by high-dose vitamin D supplements. Our objective was to explore the association between vitamin D status and statin-induced myalgia and elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK). ⋯ Our findings do not support an association between low 25OHD levels and statin-induced myalgia or CK elevation.
-
Clinical endocrinology · Jul 2012
Intensity of pituitary adenoma on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging predicts the response to octreotide treatment in newly diagnosed acromegaly.
Primary, preoperative medical treatment is an option in selected patients with acromegaly, but a subset of patients respond poorly. Valid prediction of response to somatostatin analogues (SA) might thus alter treatment stratification. The aims of this study were to assess whether T2 signal intensity could determine long-term response to first-line SA treatment and to assess clinical and biochemical baseline characteristics, as well as histological subtype in relation to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances. ⋯ In patients with acromegaly, T2 signal intensity at diagnosis correlates with histological features and predicts biochemical outcome of first-line SA treatment.
-
Clinical endocrinology · Jul 2012
Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its determinants in Australian adults aged 25 years and older: a national, population-based study.
Vitamin D deficiency is recognized as a global public health problem, but the population-based prevalence of deficiency and its determinants in Australian adults is not known. This study evaluated the vitamin D status of Australian adults aged ≥25 years and risk factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in this population. ⋯ Vitamin D deficiency is common in Australia affecting nearly one-third of adults aged ≥25 years. This indicates that strategies are needed at the population level to improve vitamin D status of Australians.