TouchREVIEWS in endocrinology最新文献

Background and aims: The profile of hypercalcaemia in hospitalized patients in India seems to be changing. However, studies evaluating the profile of hypercalcaemia in hospitalized settings in India are extremely limited. This prospective study aims to evaluate the clinical and biochemical profile of hospitalized patients with hypercalcaemia from a tertiary care centre in north India. Materials and methods: Clinical and biochemical profiles of subjects with hypercalcaemia detected during hospitalization/hospitalized with hypercalcaemia were assessed. A total of 91 subjects with sustained hypercalcaemia, who were eligible, underwent further investigation as per the institutional protocol and the data collected were analyzed. Results: The mean age of participants was 57.88 ± 14.23 years, with 62.64% of participants being females. The most common symptoms were nausea and anorexia, which were observed in all patients. The most common clinical sign was dehydration, which was observed in 32.97% of subjects. Primary hyperparathyroidism was the most common cause (41.76%), followed by suspected or confirmed malignancy/solid tumours in 15.38% of subjects. Other causes were advanced chronic liver disease (10.99%), multiple myeloma (9.89%), vitamin D toxicity (8.79%), granulomatous disorders (2.20%) and drug-i nduced disorders (1.10%). Forty-one subjects (45.05%) developed acute kidney injury and 14 subjects (15.38%) developed acute pancreatitis as a complication. Six subjects (6.59%) died during the course of hospitalization because of either primary disease or other secondary complications. Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware of changing patterns of hypercalcaemia in a hospital setting. Hypercalcaemia in hospitalized patients is associated with significant complications and mortality. Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to understand the changing pattern of hypercalcaemia in hospitalized patients from India.

Background and Aim: Metformin is recommended as the first-line agent for the management of type 2 diabetes following lifestyle and dietary changes. The long-term use of metformin has been associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. The aim of this review is to investigate the effect of metformin on vitamin B12 levels and identify any risk factors. Method: A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, PubMed and ProQuest Central. Selected articles were peer-reviewed articles, written in English and published from 2015 and onwards. Excluded articles were case reports, reviews or meta-analyses, as well as those with no access to full text. Results: In total, 21 articles were included. There was a significant association between metformin use and vitamin B12 levels in 17 studies, while 4 studies found no such association. The risk factors examined were metformin dose, treatment duration, patient age and patient ethnicity. Conclusion: In summary, metformin use was associated with lower vitamin B12 concentrations, and higher doses and longer durations of treatment increase the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. Routine vitamin B12 screening is recommended, prioritizing higher-risk patients. Further research is needed to identify when to initiate monitoring.

In this opinion piece, we appraise the International Evidence-based Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome 2023 from a person-centric perspective. We discuss how the authors balance evidence with empathy and offer excellence in clinical decision-making while ensuring the empowerment of the affected individual. We note how they skilfully use powerful words and phrases to capture the essence of person-centred care. Finally, we suggest how these guidelines can be strengthened and how they can be used to create a template for guidance on the management of other chronic disorders.

Obesity is a silent global pandemic. It is a condition associated with multiple risk factors and adverse outcomes that arise from the intertwined relationship between environmental factors and genetics. The genetic factors that cause phenotypic expression are variable. Monogenic obesity is a severe early-onset and rarer form of obesity, which presents with co-morbidities such as abnormal feeding behaviour. Monogenic obesity causes impaired weight regulation in the hypothalamus due to defects in the leptin-melanocortin signalling pathway. The emergence of a new therapeutic treatment, the melanocortin-4 receptor agonist setmelanotide (originally RM-493), has represented a breakthrough in the management of monogenic obesity and has raised hope in managing complex obesity. This review provides an overview of the setmelanotide trials that have taken place, as well as its mechanism of action, side effects and weight loss outcomes that led to its approval in the treatment of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) deficiency and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 1 (PCSK1) deficiency. It also explores setmelanotide's role in other genetic forms of obesity, such as hypothalamic obesity, Prader-Willi syndrome, Alström syndrome and other rare genetic conditions that are being investigated. This review aims to help to understand the pathophysiology of genetic obesity and aid in future treatment options for people with severe, complex genetic obesity.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) are both facets of the metabolic syndrome, associated with obesity and insulin resistance. MASLD, a term that replaces non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), occurs in up to 70% of people with T2D. Not only do T2D and MASLD commonly co-occur, but there is a synergistic, bidirectional relationship between these conditions, meaning that each affects the natural disease course of the other. As such, it is important for those caring for people with T2D to recognize the importance of this co-diagnosis. In this summary, we detail the synergistic relationship between T2D and MASLD, explain the current challenges in recognizing this common co-diagnosis and suggest practical approaches for those caring for people with T2D to improve the diagnosis and treatment of MASLD.

Background: Diabetes during pregnancy is associated with significant maternal and foetal health risks. Insulin requirements also change during pregnancy. This necessitates careful and effective management of diabetes. Although commonly used in clinical practice, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved algorithms for automated insulin delivery (AID) systems do not have pregnancy-specific glycaemic targets. This review aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AID systems in reaching glycaemic targets in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: In this retrospective case review, six pregnant women with T1D used three types of AID systems. Two patients used Omnipod 5, two patients used Control-I Q and two patients used Do-I t-Yourself (DIY) Loop. Results: Across trimesters, the two patients using Omnipod 5 had an average time in range (TIR) of 68 and 82%. Patients using Control-I Q had an average TIR of 77 and 69%. Both the patients using DIY Loop had an average TIR of 85%. Hypoglycaemia occurrence was minimal. Additionally, four of the six patients had uncomplicated vaginal deliveries in their third trimester, and four of the six patients achieved guideline-r ecommended TIR targets. Birth complications for the other two patients were resolved shortly after birth. Throughout the pregnancies, insulin needs approximately doubled. Conclusions: AID systems can achieve near-desired glycaemic targets with minimal hypoglycaemia in pregnant women with T1D. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings and to win FDA indications in pregnancy.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) is a multifunctional serine ectopeptidase that cleaves and modifies a plethora of substrates, including regulatory peptides, cytokines and chemokines. DPP-4 is implicated in the regulation of immune response, viral entry, cellular adhesion, metastasis and chemotaxis. Regarding its numerous substrates and extensive expression inside the body, multitasking DPP-4 has been assumed to participate in different pathophysiological mechanisms. DPP-4 inhibitors or gliptins are increasingly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several reports from experimental and clinical studies have clarified that DPP-4 inhibitors exert many beneficial pleiotropic effects beyond glycaemic control, which are mediated by anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-fibrotic and anti-apoptotic actions. The present review will highlight the most recent findings in the literature about these pleiotropic effects and the potential mechanisms underlying these benefits, with a specific focus on the potential effectiveness of DPP-4 inhibitors in coronavirus disease-19 and diabetic kidney disease.

Rates of recurrence and/or persistence of Cushing's disease after surgical treatment are high. Recently, advances in molecular insights and a better understanding of pathophysiology have enabled the development of potential therapeutic targets that could control adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol secretion or even reduce tumour cell proliferation. At the pituitary level, pasireotide is an approved somatostatin receptor ligand, and compounds targeting cell cycle regulation, cell signalling and epigenetics are now under investigation. Levoketoconazole and osilodrostat are novel steroid inhibitors, and relacorilant overcomes the adverse effects of mifepristone. Adrenal ACTH receptor blockage and immunotherapy could also play a role.

The widespread occurrence of thyroid nodules and the typically slow progression of thyroid cancer have led to the development of the thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS). The primary objectives behind the development of TI-RADS were to minimize unnecessary biopsies of non-cancerous nodules, enhance the overall precision of diagnosis and establish a uniform risk-stratification framework based on the lexicon to notify healthcare professionals of nodules that require a biopsy. The identification and precise diagnosis of thyroid nodules have led to improved clinical practice examination reports within the general population. TI-RADS is a risk-stratification system related to thyroid lesions and based on ultrasound characteristics and is similar to the structure of the breast imaging reporting and data system. There are various versions of TI-RADS, with some being widely used and adequately validated, while others lacking thorough evaluation. TI-RADS uses a numerical scoring system for characteristics, and its categories are determined by the cumulative score of a thyroid nodule, indicating the likelihood of it being benign or malignant. In this article, the various TI-RADS systems were examined as a successful method for producing precise and comprehensive documentation, with a particular emphasis on their functionality, similarities, distinctions and potential future developments.

Introduction: Amyloid goiter (AG) is a rare cause of thyroid swelling, characterized by deposits of amyloid protein in the thyroid tissue. It can be associated with primary or secondary amyloidosis. Its prevalence in multinodular goiter cases is 0.17%, with rare clinical detection before surgery. Case series: This Peruvian case series comprised three female patients and one male patient, with ages ranging from 28 to 65 years. All individuals had pre-existing inflammatory diseases and reported symptoms including dyspnoea, dysphagia and dysphonia. Upon physical examination, all patients exhibited a grade III goiter. Fine-needle aspiration reported colloid goiter. Three out of the four patients underwent total thyroidectomy and histochemistry revealed AG with positive Congo red staining. Discussion: AG is an uncommon clinical entity. It has been reported to occur more frequently in males, with an average age of diagnosis of 40 years. In our series, we observed a broad age range of patients receiving diagnoses, spanning from 28 to 65 years, with a predominance in females. The consideration of AG should be extended to every patient with an underlying chronic systemic inflammatory disease, especially end stage renal disease. In this context, AG should be included in the differential diagnosis for patients with multinodular goiter exhibiting progressive growth and causing compressive symptoms at the cervical level without affecting thyroid function, as demonstrated in our series. Conclusion: AG, a rare condition, warrants suspicion in the presence of a giant goiter with an underlying systemic inflammatory disease.