ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

A 40-year-old woman has been followed up for 19 years by the\r\nendocrinology clinic with the diagnoses of Addison disease and primary hypothyroidism. During the most recent\r\nvisit of the patient, she complained about fatigue and malaise with pretibial edema. In albumin analysis: 2.2 gr/dL and 5.8 g/day proteinuria were detected. In terms of\r\nnephrotic syndrome etiology, renal biopsy was performed and it was considered as minimal change disease. The dose of 7.5\r\nmg/day methyl prednisolone was potentiated to a dose of 1mg/kg/day. During her control, the proteinuria did not regress and 150 mg/day cyclophosphamide was added to the treatment. During the control, her proteinuria regressed from 5.8 r/day to 1.95 mg/day.

Background. Small-cell lung carcinoma is a neuroendocrine tumor that exhibits aggressive behavior, rapid growth, early spread to distant sites and frequent association with paraneoplastic syndromes, the most frequent being the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Case report. We present the case of a 66 year-old woman who presented to the Emergency Department for a syncope preceded by vomiting. She had onemonth history of progressive confusion, disorientation, drowsiness, and generalized malaise. At presentation, the biochemical profile showed normal hemogram values, severe hyponatremia (seric sodium level 120 mg/dL), low plasma osmolality (<275 mOsm/ kg). The blood tests for kidney, thyroid and adrenal functions were in normal limits. There was no evidence of congestive heart failure or nephrotic syndrome. A diagnosis of SIADH was made. Because of a high suspicion for lung cancer, chest computed tomography (CT) was done, together with neck, abdominal and pelvic CT scan, all showing normal data, excepting necrotic lymph nodes in the lower right carotid space and right paratracheal. Right laterocervical lymph node biopsy was done. The histopathological and immunohistochemical result showed lymph node metastasis of a neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma, most probably with broncho-pulmonary origin. Conclusion. The case is interesting due to long term absence of any respiratory symptom, absence of identification of pulmonary tumor, despite repeated CT scans, the only clinical manifestations being related to SIADH. Also, it emphasizes the importance of early recognition of SIADH, which may be the only initial manifestation of a neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma.

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) arising from aberrant tissue is almost unknown. Our aim is to report our first case.\r\nObservation. A woman, aged 46, was operated on for multinodular goiter with lateral mass considered as a metastasis. Thyroid surgery was well supported. The surgeon discovered a median thyroid which seemed normal, and a lateral mass totally separated from the thyroid. The pathologist who did very thin slices of the whole thyroid excluded the malignancy, but in the lateral tissue, he discovered a typical MTC with positivity to thyrocalcitonin (TCT), chromogranine A, and thyroid transforming factor1 antibodies. That lateral tissue did not contain any thyroid or lymphoid cells. The tumoral tissue was sent to another\r\npathologist who confirmed the diagnosis. In post operative period TCT was normal (mean value=4.5pg/mL, N<13), but urinary metanephrines were slightly increased (1.32\r\nmg/24h, N=1). Radiological explorations (except MIBG scintigraphy not done for low socioeconomic conditions) failed to show any pheochromocytoma. One year later that one was found by CT scan, and our patient was classified as multiple endocrine neoplasm type 2A. Laparoscopic surgery\r\ndone under thiopental and curare was uneventful, histological exam confirmed the pheochromocytoma. Genetic screening for RET proto-oncogene was negative arguing\r\nfor a sporadic case. Conclusion. MTC located in\r\naccessory thyroid is a scientific curiosity which can be mistaken with a lymph node metastasis. In our case a meticulous exam of the median thyroid and the lack of thyroid and lymph cells in the lateral mass were\r\nagainst the metastasis.

Background. The modifications of blood pressure and lipid metabolism, the decrease of heart contractility and the increase of systemic vascular resistance that accompany hypothyroidism are caused by the decreased action of thyroid hormones. Objective. The purpose of this study is to evaluate, using echocardiography, the changes of the heart functional parameters in patients with untreated thyroid dysfunctions. Pacients and Methods. Study group included 348 patients for an evaluation of cardiovascular and thyroid status. The control of the thyroid condition was conducted using measurements of the FT3, FT4 and TSH levels, echocardiographic measurements defining the parameters of the function of the left ventricle. Results. The study group was divided into subclinical hypothyroidism (SH, 75 cases), overt hypothyroidism (OH, 123 patients) and normal thyroid function (C, 150 patients). TSH values decreased (from 5.8±15 mUI/L to 2.28±0.63 mUI/L in SH and from 20.23±17.33 mUI/L to 4.24±0.24 mUI/L in OH) after one year of treatment while fT4 and fT3 increased. The parameters obtained revealed significant decreases of the E/A ratio in both groups with hypothyroidism. The isovolumetric relaxation time was significantly higher in SH and OH as compared to the control group (C: 112.50±35.45 msec, SH: 118.75±16.52 msec p<0.05, OH: 130±41.83 msec p<0.001). In addition, the tissue Doppler revealed significant decreases of the E’/A’ ratio, measured septally and laterally in the group with overt and subclinical hypothyroidism. Conclusion. In hypothyroidism the systolic and predominantly diastolic function of the left ventricle are impaired. These dysfunctions are reversible under L-T4 substitutive treatment.

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Objective. This study was undertaken to examine prognostic factors in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNET) undergoing surgical treatment to evaluate the prognostic value of recently introduced immunohistochemical staining methods of CD10 and cytokeratin 19. Materials and Methods. Tumors were classified on the basis of 2004 WHO Classification Guidelines and European Neuroendocrine Tumor\r\nSociety (ENETS) grading system. Immunohistochemical staining with Ki- 67, CD10 and cytokeratin 19 was performed. Results. A total of 36 patients with a mean age of 53.7 ? 12.0 years were included. Overall, 33 patients had a long-term follow-up with 10 patients (30.3%) experiencing recurrence. Seven\r\npatients (21.1%) died. Clinical parameters that were associated with recurrence included liver metastasis at the time of surgery and extra-pancreatic invasion (p < 0.005). Positive surgical margins, extra-pancreatic invasion, and multi-focal disease were associated with reduced survival (p < 0.05). In addition, there was an association between\r\nsurvival and WHO 2004 classification (p < 0.05).\r\nConclusions. Although vascular and peripancreatic invasion showed increased risk of recurrence, they were unrelated to survival. Of the histopathological examinations, Ki-67\r\nand mitotic activity showed a correlation with both recurrence and survival, while immunohistochemical\r\nstaining with cytokeratin 19 and CD 10 did not provide adequate prognostic information.

Lithuanian’s male sperm quality was found to be much better as compared with other centres. The highest values of Kaunas young males were observed in total testicular volume, total sperm count, estradiol and SHBG. Parameters much higher than in other centres were sperm volume, normal morphology, sperm concentration, total motility, level of inhibin B and LH. These parameters are important for overall reproductive capacity of Lithuanians. Sperm quality and high spermatogenesis regulating hormone concentration may be considered as ethnic sign of reproductive capacity of a population.

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Developments in the understanding of the molecular basis of water permeability of the red blood cell (RBC) have taken place rapidly since the discovery in 1985 in Cluj- Napoca, Romania, by the group of Benga of a water channel protein (WCP), later called aquaporin 1 (AQP1), in the RBC membrane. However, the physiological role of AQP1 is not yet fully understood. Investigations of RBCs from human subjects of various ages could help shed light on this important issue. We present a short review of our studies on this topic that were published in less “visible” journals and books. The diffusional water permeability (Pd) of the RBC membrane has the lowest values in the newborns. Then Pd values are increasing in children, reaching at about 7 years a value that remains rather constant in young and mature subjects. The high permeability to water of the RBC membrane can be correlated at these ages with the ability to undertake a high level of physical activity. In elderly individuals (over 65 years) a further small, but statistically significant, increase in the diffusional water permeability of RBC was observed. In this case the higher RBC water permeability can be correlated with a requirement of the RBC membrane to favour the membrane undulations and the rapid entry or exit of solutes of molecular size greater than water, in conditions when the organism is less physically active, probably has lower metabolic rates and lower mean rates of blood circulation.