Pituitary tumors in MEN1: do not be misled by borderline elevated prolactin levels.

PURPOSE: The objective of this case report is to demonstrate that the simple expedient of measuring periodic prolactin levels in patients with MEN1 who have modest hyperprolactinemia and normal pituitary MRI scans is insufficient to monitor for the development of pituitary adenomas. METHODS: Review of relevant literature and chart review. RESULTS: A 25 year old man with known MEN1 manifested by hyperparathyroidism and a gastrin-producing neuroendocrine tumor was found to have a prolactin [PRL] level of 20.0 ng/mL [1.6-16 ng/mL] but a normal pituitary MRI scan. The impression then was that he had prolactinoma too small to be visualized on the MRI. Over the next 3.5 years his PRL levels remained in this mildly elevated range but he then presented with severe headaches and visual field defects. An MRI showed a 3.1 × 1.7 × 1.9 cm pituitary adenoma with compression of the optic chiasm and invasion of the left cavernous sinus. Surgery revealed a gonadotroph adenoma and he subsequently required gamma knife radiotherapy for residual tumor. Postoperative PRL levels were normal. CONCLUSIONS: Small, intrasellar microadenomas may be associated with elevated PRL levels due to possible direct hormone production [prolactinoma] or possibly to interference with portal vessel blood flow. In monitoring hyperprolactinemic MEN1 patients for the development of pituitary adenomas, measurement of PRL levels is insufficient and periodic MRI scans are necessary at a more frequent interval than every 3-5 years. This may also pertain to patients with "idiopathic" hyperprolactinemia.

Diabetes Technology Use in Adults with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.

In the last 2 decades, diabetes technology has emerged as a branch of diabetes management thanks to the advent of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and increased availability of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion systems, or insulin pumps. These tools have progressed from rudimentary instruments to sophisticated therapeutic options for advanced diabetes management. This article discusses the available CGM and insulin pump systems and the clinical benefits of their use in adults with type 1 diabetes, intensively insulin-treated type 2 diabetes, and pregnant patients with preexisting diabetes.

Management of severe hypertriglyceridemia in the hospital: a review.

For hospitalists, hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is more than cardiovascular risk. Severe HTG occurs when serum triglycerides rise above 1000 mg/dL, and it carries a risk of abdominal pain and pancreatitis. The etiology of severe HTG is usually a combination of genetic and secondary factors. A detailed history with attention to family history, medications, and alcohol consumption can often lead to the cause. Physical examination findings may stretch across multiple organ systems. Patients with severe HTG should be admitted to the hospital for aggressive medical therapy if they develop symptoms such as abdominal pain or pancreatitis. Asymptomatic patients with severe HTG who have significant short-term risk for developing symptoms require urgent consultation that may lead to a brief hospitalization to address exacerbating factors. Treatment of severe HTG includes a combination of pharmacologic agents and a restriction on dietary triglyceride intake. If oral medications fail to adequately lower triglyceride levels, intravenous insulin and in rare cases therapeutic plasma exchange may be required. To prevent recurrent severe HTG, the patient should be counseled about adherence to long-term medications and lifestyle changes.