[Intermittent fasting: endocrine aspects: A review].

The increasing number of overweight and obese people makes the search for new effective ways to reduce body weight extremely urgent. Recently, intermittent fasting has received a lot of attention, as a dietary protocol, presumably effective in reducing body weight. Despite the large number of studies, the effects of intermittent fasting on the human body are controversial, since studies differ in dietary options, design, and often have a small sample size. In this review of the literature, the authors cite the results of studies of the effectiveness of intermittent fasting in patients with obesity, diabetes mellitus, and high risks of developing cardiovascular diseases.

[Atypical clinical course of Cushing's disease].

Endogenous hypercorticism is a severe endocrine disease with clinical symptoms resulting from long-term action of corticosteroids. In this country, conditions caused by the excess pituitary ACTH production are called Itsenko-Cushing disease. In the absence of adequate treatment, half of the patients die within 5 years after the onset of the disease. Correct diagnosis prior to the development of severe complications significantly improves its prognosis and patients' quality of life. It is generally believed that endogenous hypercorticosm must be accompanied by pathognomonic symptoms that may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis. However, certain patients present with non-specific symptoms of little diagnostic value. We report a case of Itsenko-Cushing disease lacking in specific symptoms of hypercorticism.

[Graves' disease and pregnancy].

Thyvrotoxicosis is a clinical syndrome related to the negative influence of excess thyroid hormones. Its main cause in young and mid-aged patients is Graves' disease. Therapy with thyrostatic medications are most frequently used in this country as the primary method for the treatment of this disease. The experience of both Russian and foreign authors indicate that 70% of Graves' disease cases require radical treatment. Special caution is needed in the choice of therapies for young women planning pregnancy. Graves'disease developing prior to pregnancy is a contraindication for it because of high risk of its interruption and complications. Such women should be recommended careful contraception. A 27-year-old patient with Graves' disease is described who planned pregnancy and received conservative therapy for an unnecessary, long time. Therapy of thyrotoxicosis during pregnancy and after it is described.