The role of T-lymphocyte subsets and interleukin-5 blood levels among Indian subjects with autoimmune thyroid disease

Sripathy Gopalakrishnan, Sourav Sen, Jawahar Singh Adhikari, Pradeep Kumar Chugh, Tarun Sekhri, Sankar Rajan

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OBJECTIVE: Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (AITD) results from an interaction of exogenous and endogenous factors in a genetically predisposed individual. AITD is being increasingly reported among the Indian population. Lymphocyte subsets and levels of interleukin-5 (IL- 5) were studied in the peripheral blood of patients with AITD …

The philosopher Socrates had exophthalmos (a term coined by Plato) and probably Graves’ disease

Peter D. Papapetrou

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According to a previously published theory, Socrates was afflicted with temporal lobe epilepsy since his childhood. Plato, Xenophon, and Aristoxenus described Socrates as having exophthalmos, probably diplopia, and some symptoms compatible with hyperthyroidism …

Delayed diagnosis of disorder of sex development (DSD) due to P450 oxidoreductase (POR) deficiency

Vasiliki Koika, Anastasia K. Armeni, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos

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CASE PRESENTATION: A 36-year old man, operated on for cryptorchidism at the age of 8 years, was referred to the Outpatient Clinic of Reproductive Endocrinology for investigation of infertility. Clinical examination revealed ambiguous genitalia: penis 4-5 cm, testicular volume 2-3 ml, hypospadias, hypertrophic foreskin and scrotum bifida. Mild hypertension was confirmed. No skeletal malformations were detected …

Cyclopes and Giants: From Homer’s Odyssey to contemporary genetic diagnosis

Georgios K. Markantes, Anastasia Theodoropoulou, Anastasia K. Armeni, Vasiliki Vasileiou, Constantine A. Stratakis, Neoklis A. Georgopoulos

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Giant is a term used to describe a legendary humanlike being of great stature and strength. In Greek mythology, the giants Cyclopes rebelled against the Olympian Gods in a battle that ended in their final defeat, this resulting in Olympian sovereignty on earth …

Diagnostic value of the water deprivation test in the polyuria-polydipsia syndrome

Penelope Trimpou, Daniel S. Olsson, Olof Ehn, Oskar Ragnarsson

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OBJECTIVE: Diabetes insipidus (DI) and primary polydipsia (PP) are characterised by polyuria and polydipsia. It is crucial to differentiate between these two disorders since the treatment is different. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the short and an extended variant of the water deprivation test (WDT) and of measuring urinary vasopressin (AVP) in patients with polyuria and polydipsia.
DESIGN: A retrospective, single-centre study based on WDTs performed …

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy: are signs of hypogonadism always due to testicular failure?

Olga Karapanou, Barbara Vlassopoulou, Marinella Tzanela, Dimitrios Papadopoulos, Panagiotis Angelidakis, Helen Michelakakis, George Ioannidis, Markos Mihalatos, Smaragda Kamakari, Stylianos Tsagarakis

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We present the clinical and hormonal findings of a young male with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD), with special emphasis on the biochemical and clinical pattern of hypogonadism. A patient, with primary adrenal insufficiency since the age of 5 years, developed progressive neurological symptoms at the age of 29 …

Brain and optic chiasmal herniation following cabergoline treatment for a giant prolactinoma: wait or intervene?

Labrini Papanastasiou, Stelios Fountoulakis, Theodora Pappa, Konstantinos Liberopoulos, Dimosthenis Malliopoulos, Athina Markou, George Piaditis

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OBJECTIVE: Dopamine agonists (DA) are the treatment of choice in patients with macroprolactinomas. Brain and optic chiasm herniation are unusual complications following treatment with DA. REPORT: We present a case of a giant prolactinoma complicated by visual deterioration following cabergoline treatment …

Reversal of dilated cardiomyopathy after glucagonoma excision

Ozan M. Demir, Stavroula A. Paschou, Huw Christopher Ellis, Michael Fitzpatrick, Andreas S Kalogeropoulos, Andrew Davies, Jeremy Thompson, Simon W. Davies, Julia Grapsa

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The following case presents a new insight into the relationship of glucagonomas with dilated cardiomyopathy which endocrinologists should be aware of. A 64-year old Caucasian man, born and raised in Zimbabwe, was admitted with acute pulmonary edema …

A novel mutation of the calcium-sensing receptor gene in a Greek family from Nisyros

Evaggelia Zapanti, Aikaterini Polonifi, Michalis Kokkinos, George Boutzios, Georgia Kassi, Narjes Nasiri Ansari, Eva Kassi, Aris Polyzos

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PURPOSE: Inactivating mutations of the calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) gene cause familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH). Here we report three siblings with FHH caused by a novel mutation in the CASR. METHODS: The case subject was a 60-year-old patient referred because of mild hypercalcaemia …

Sheehan’s syndrome in Xinjiang: Clinical characteristics and laboratory evaluation of 97 patients

Guo-li Du, Zhong-hua Liu, Min Chen, Rui Ma, Sheng Jiang, Miriguli Shayiti, Jun Zhu, Aibibai Yusufu

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and hormonal characteristics of patients with Sheehan’s syndrome in Xinjiang, China. METHODS: 97 cases diagnosed as Sheehan’s syndrome in our hospital from 1999 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed …

Insights into the coexistence of two mutations in the same LHCGR gene locus causing severe Leydig cell hypoplasia

Anastasia P. Athanasoulia, Günter K. Stalla, Matthias K. Auer

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BACKGROUND: Leydig cell hypoplasia is a rare autosomal recessive condition that interferes with the normal development of male external genitalia in 46,XY individuals. It is mediated by mutations in the lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor gene, resulting in the impairment of either the binding of hormone or signal transduction …

Endocrinology in ancient Sparta

Ioannis N. Tsoulogiannis, Demetrios A. Spandidos

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This article attempts to analyze the crucial link between the plant Agnus castus and human health, particularly hormonal status, with special reference to the needs of the society of ancient Sparta. T he ancient Spartans used Agnus both as a cure for infertility and as a remedy to treat battle wounds…

European Thyroid Association guidelines in comparison with the American Thyroid Association and Endocrine Society practice guidelines for the screening and treatment of hypothyroidism during pregnancy

Gesthimani Mintziori, Dimitrios G. Goulis

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It is with great interest that we read the detailed and well enunciated comparison between the American Thyroid Association (ATA) and the Endocrine Society (ES) practice guidelines for the screening and treatment of hypothyroidism during pregnancy that was published in the last issue of Hormones …

Rosiglitazone-induced anasarca without heart failure: capillary leakage?

Selcuk Dagdelen, Mevlut Kurt, Kadriye Aydιn, Miyase Bayraktar

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Severity of thiazolidinedione (Rosiglitazone)-induced fluid retention is linked almost exclusively to cardiac decompensation. We here report a 68-year old female with type 2 diabetes mellitus, in whom a life-threatening (anasarca type) acute pulmonary edema, induced by rosiglitazone plus insulin therapy …

History of the Cretan cohort of the Seven Countries Study

Christos M. Hatzis, Dimitra Sifaki-Pistolla, Anthony G. Kafatos

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It was a great pleasure to read the manuscript of Hatzis CM et al, 2013, published in the Hormones Journal. This article presented the results for cardiovascular risk factors of the Cretan cohort of the Seven Countries Study (SCS) …

Ectopic Cushing’s syndrome due to CRH secreting liver metastasis in a patient with medullary thyroid carcinoma

Alexandra Chrisoulidou, Kalliopi Pazaitou-Panayiotou, Eleni Georgiou, Maria Boudina, George Kontogeorgos, Ioannis Iakovou, Ioannis Efstratiou, Frideriki Patakiouta, Iraklis Vainas

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Ectopic production of CRH by a medullary thyroid carcinoma or its metastases is a rare cause of ectopic Cushing’s syndrome (ECS). We report a 45-year old male with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), who, 24 years following the initial diagnosis …

Adrenal malignant melanoma masquerading as a pheochromocytoma in a patient with a history of a multifocal papillary and medullary thyroid carcinoma

Maria E. Barmpari, Christos Savvidis, Anastasia D. Dede, Haridimos Markogiannakis, Christina Dikoglou, Paraskevi Xekouki, Constantine A. Stratakis, Andreas Manouras, Sofia Malaktari-Skarantavou

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Objective: Adrenal masses usually represent benign and nonfunctional adrenal adenomas; however, primary or metastatic malignancy should also be considered. Discovery of an adrenal mass needs further evaluation in order to exclude malignancy and hormonal secretion. We present a rare case of a possibly primary adrenal malignant melanoma with imaging and biochemical features of a pheochromocytoma. Case report: A 61-year-old male farmer was referred for evaluation …

Effect of Temozolomide in a patient with recurring oncocytic gonadotrophic pituitary adenoma

Luis V. Syro, Bernd W. Scheithauer, Leon D. Ortiz, Camilo E. Fadul, Eva Horvath, Fabio Rotondo, Kalman Kovacs

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The patient was a 70-year-old man with a recurrent pituitary tumor. Three surgeries were performed but the tumor recurred. Based on histologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies, the diagnosis of oncocytic gonadotrophic pituitary adenoma was made. The tumor was a macroadenoma partly immunopositive for LH …

Prevalence and determinants of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Greek adult population

Sofia Tsirona, Fotis Katsaros, Alexandra Bargiota, Stergios A. Polyzos, George Arapoglou, George N. Koukoulis

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The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing worldwide reaching epidemic proportions. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of DM in Thessaly, a large region of Central Greece, and to extrapolate our results to the population of the entire country. A random sample of 805 adults (421 females and 384 men) living in Thessaly, aged 18-80 years, was surveyed. After completing a questionnaire about health status and a thorough physical examination …

Thyrotoxic hypokalemic periodic paralysis in a Turkish patient presenting with a U wave on ECG

Emre Gezer, Banu Şarer Yurekli, Gokçen Unal Kocabas

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Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HPP) is a rare neuromuscular disorder caused by dysfunction of the ion channels in red muscle cells and which is characterized by painless episodes of muscle weakness generally after strenuous exertion or a high-carbohydrate meal …

Hypoglycaemia: Possible mediation by chromium salt medication

Shabana Valiji Bharmal, Veronica Moyes, Sahid Ahmed, Ashley Grossman

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Drugs are the commonest cause of hypoglycaemia in patients without diabetes mellitus. However, in spite of this, a recent review highlighted the poor quality of evidence available supporting the association between numerous drugs and hypoglycaemia …

Association between TPO Asn698Thr and Thr725Pro gene polymorphisms and serum anti-TPO levels in Iranian patients with subclinical hypothyroidism

Amirhosein Khoshi, Alireza Sirghani, Mehran Ghazisaeedi, Ali Zarei Mahmudabadi, Amir Azimian

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OBJECTIVE: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is defined as high levels of TSH in the presence of normal levels of serum FT4. Since thyroid peroxidase (TPO) plays a key role in thyroid hormone synthesis, variations in the TPO gene can change the enzyme structure and result in the production of anti-TPO antibodies. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the Asn698Thr (A2095C) and Thr725Pro (A2173C) polymorphisms of the TPO gene and anti-TPO levels in patients with SCH …

The history of the parathyroid glands

Ilias-Dimitrios Kafetzis, Antonis Diamantopoulos, Ioannis Christakis, Basileios Leoutsakos

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Greep in 1963 as well as Pang and Epple in 1980 advanced the view that the parathyroids originally appeared 100 million years ago, in the context of the evolutionary development of amphibians. This coincided with the transition of life from the calcium-rich marine environment to the terrestrial or the aquatic environments …