[Primary hyperaldosteronism due to unilateral adrenal hyperplasia with surgical resolution]. / Hiperaldosteronismo primario por hiperplasia suprarrenal unilateral con resolución quirúrgica.

Unilateral adrenal hyperplasia is a rare cause of primary hyperaldosteronism (around a 3%) that has surgical treatment. A case of a patient with hypertension resistant to conventional therapy in treatment with 7 drugs who presented with primary hyperaldosteronism due to unilateral adrenal hyperplasia is presented. A left adrenalectomy was performed, and the patient had a good clinical response, with no need of any drug after 2 years of surgery. Unilateral adrenal hyperplasia is a different entity and it is not an asymmetric variant of the bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. In the study of patients with primary hyperaldosteronism and imaging tests with absence of adenoma is a diagnosis that must be considered before cataloguing patients with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia and start a medical treatment, because unilateral adrenal hyperplasia would have a surgical resolution.

[Malnutrition evaluation in obese patients of both sexes on a very low caloric content diet]. / Evaluación de la malnutrición en pacientes obesos de ambos sexos tratados con dieta de muy bajo contenido calórico.

We have evaluated the effectiveness of a very low caloric content diet (VLCD) during 6 weeks in patients with severe obesity (grades II and III). Twenty-seven men and 61 women were selected for evaluation of anthropometric (weight, body mass index [BMI], waist, hip, C/c, fatty weight and intra-abdominal fatty area) and biochemical (creatinine-height index [CHI], albumin, transferrin, retinol binding protein [RBP], prealbumin, C3, and lymphocytes count) malnutrition parameters, at the beginning and after 6 weeks of treatment with VLCD. In men we found a significant decrease of weight, BMI, waist, hip, fatty weight, and intra-abdominal fatty area. In women the decrease of weight, BMI, hip, and fatty weight was also significant. We found baseline malnutrition in 7.4% of men and in 14.7% of women, and after the treatment in 22.2% of men and in 34.4% of women (p < 0.05). With regard to the biochemical parameters of protein malnutrition, only men showed significant decrease in the CHI and only women showed significant decrease in transferrin, RBP, prealbumin, and C3. In conclusion, we can state that different types of VLCD are effective for weight loss in severe obese subjects. However, within a period of follow-up of 6 weeks we have detected the presence of protein malnutrition, especially in women, being in these patients affected the visceral compartment while in men the muscular compartment is affected.

Transient rise in intact parathyroid hormone concentration after surgery for parathyroid adenoma.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to describe the course of parathyroid hormone (PTH) after surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). PTH levels drop to low values after parathyroidectomy for PHPT. However, in some patients, a rebound transient increase in PTH concentrations can occur. Study design and setting A prospective study included 72 patients who underwent surgical exploration for PHPT. A single adenoma was found in 57 patients (79.1%), 2 adenomas were found in 2 (2.7%), and parathyroid hyperplasia was found in 13 (18.05%). The postoperative PTH secretion was studied in those patients who had an adenoma excised. RESULTS: This phenomenon was noted in 18 (31.6%) patients between 4 and 12 weeks, although total calcium concentrations were normal (9.3 +/- 0.6 mg/dL). Before surgery these patients had a more remarkable hyperparathyroidism (clinical and biochemical) than the others, but differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: Postoperative increases in PTH concentration can occur after successful parathyroidectomy. These increases are transient and do not indicate persistent or recurrent disease.