Combined Effects of Vitamin D Status, Renal Function and Age on Serum Parathyroid Hormone Levels.

Background: Vitamin D status and renal function are well-known independent predictors of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. We aimed to describe the combined effects of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and age on serum PTH levels across the whole clinical spectrum. Methods: We retrieved from our endocrinology center database all PTH measurement between 2012 and 2020 for which a simultaneous measurement of serum 25(OH)D, calcium and creatinine was available. Age, sex and diagnosis were available for all subjects. Intact PTH was measured using the same electrochemiluminescence assay. Results: There were 6,444 adults and 701 children without a diagnosis of hyper- or hypoparathyroidism or abnormal serum calcium levels. In adults with 25(OH)D≥12 ng/mL multiple regression models showed that serum PTH was negatively correlated with both 25(OH)D and GFR. Regression (-0.68 and -1.59 vs. -0.45 and -0.22 respectively), partial correlation (-0.16 and -0.35 vs. -0.12 and -0.10 respectively) and determination coefficients (0.14 vs. 0.031) were higher in CKD than in normal renal function. In subjects with 25(OH)D<12 ng/mL, GFR was the only significant predictor in those with CKD (ß-coefficient=-2.5, r=-0.55) and 25(OH)D was the only significant predictor in those with normal renal function (ß-coefficient=-2.05, r=-0.11). Increasing age was associated with higher PTH levels only in those with normal renal function and 25(OH)D≥12 ng/mL. Conclusions: We showed that declining vitamin D and renal function have additive effects on serum PTH in subjects without vitamin D deficiency. In vitamin D deficient subjects this dependency is stronger but is not additive anymore.

Seasonal periodicity of serum parathyroid hormone and its relation with vitamin D in Romania.

We measured serum parathyroid hormone in 8409 Romanian subjects and found a mild seasonal variation with highest levels in March and lowest levels in September. PTH was dependent on serum vitamin D, particularly below 12.82 ng/mL. Together, these suggest that vitamin D supplementation is warranted only in at-risk groups. PURPOSE: Seasonal variation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and its dependency on serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are well-described. However, there are few studies from Europe, and genetic, nutritional, and cultural differences are important. We describe the seasonal variation of serum PTH and its relation with serum 25(OH)D levels in Romania. METHODS: We retrieved from our endocrinology center database all PTH measurements between 2011 and 2019 together with age, sex, diagnosis, and date of blood sampling. Simultaneous serum 25(OH)D levels were partially available. Intact PTH was measured using the same electrochemiluminescence assay. RESULTS: There were 8409 subjects (median age 49 (36, 60) years; 20.5% men) without a diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism (primary or secondary to chronic kidney disease), hypoparathyroidism, or low bone mass. Serum PTH showed a mild seasonal variation with highest levels at the end of March (47.61 pg/mL) and lowest levels at the end of September (43.15 pg/mL). All sex and age subgroups showed highest levels in the spring and lowest levels in the fall. Males had significantly lower PTH levels than females irrespective of season. PTH correlated inversely with serum 25(OH)D with a breakpoint of 12.82 ng/mL in 2800 subjects who had a simultaneous measurement of 25(OH)D. Increasing age was associated with increasing PTH levels independently of serum 25(OH)D. CONCLUSIONS: We showed a mild seasonal variation of serum PTH in Romania, at an inverse sinusoidal pattern than serum 25(OH)D. The breakpoint on the PTH-25(OH)D correlation suggests that vitamin D supplementation is warranted only in at-risk groups.

Cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma at pediatric age - case report and review of the literature.

Cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CMV-PTC) is a rare tumor, which exceptionally occurs at pediatric age. CMV-PTC may develop in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or may be a sporadic tumor. The authors present a case of CMV-PTC in a 10-year-old girl patient without FAP history, who presented with a left neck mass. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy with central compartment neck dissection. Histopathological diagnosis was compatible with cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Immunostaining was positive for thyroglobulin, ß-catenin, CD10 and p53. Molecular test showed the absence of BRAF, K-RAS mutations, deletions or duplications of APC (adenomatosis polyposis coli) gene and showed the presence of RET÷PTC (rearranged during transfection÷papillary thyroid carcinoma) rearrangements. At 32 months follow-up, the patient was without signs of recurrence. This particular form of thyroid carcinoma should raise suspicion of a possible familial cancer syndrome, therefore early diagnosis and thoroughly evaluation, which includes colonoscopy and genetic screening are mandatory.

Adipocytokine profile and insulin resistance in childhood obesity.

BACKGROUND: Adipose tissue is a veritable "endocrine organ" due to its adipocytokines secretion implied in insulin sensitivity modulation and cardiovascular complications. OBJECTIVE: To identify the adipocytokines' plasmatic profile (adiponectin, leptin, resistin, IL-6, TNFα) in obese children and adolescents and to assess their relationship with "classic" clinical/paraclinical markers of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A case-control study comparing a study group of 38 obese children and adolescents (age 13.5±2.3 years) to a normal weight age matched control group of 24 children.We measured body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP). The classical metabolic parameters (fasting glycemia, total cholesterol and its fractions, serum triglycerides) were measured in both groups. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated using fasting insulinemia, HOMA-index and insulin-resistance summary score (IRS). Adiponectin, leptin, resistin, IL-6 and TNFα were measured using ELISA method. OUTCOMES: Serum levels of leptin, resistin and IL-6 were signficantly higher (42.42±22.58 ng/ml versus 14.4±14.49 ng/ml, p <0.001; 9.69±3.47 ng/ml versus 7.92±2.13ng/ml, p = 0.029 and 2.66 ±2.87 pg/ml versus 0.89 ± 1.16 pg/ml, p = 0.006 respectively), while adiponectin levels were significantly lower (9.05±4.61 µg/ml versus 15.93±9.24 µg/ml, p <0.001) in the obese group compared to control group. TNFα was not statistical different between groups.In multivariate regression analysis adiponectin was negatively and significantly correlated with WC (r = - 0.463, p = 0.003); leptin was positively and significantly related to WC, diastolic BP, fasting insulinemia and resistin (r = 0.775, p <0.001); resistin was positively related to leptin and IL-6 (r = 0.499, p <0.001), IL-6 was positively and significantly related to diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.333, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Serum levels of adiponectin, leptin, resistin and IL-6 are significantly different in obese children compared to normal weight controls; leptin was the only adipokine correlated with insulin resistance in children. There are significant correlations between plasmatic levels of leptin, resistin and IL-6.Simple plasmatic determination of TNFα is not a marker of the degree of obesity or its metabolic complications in pediatric population.