Relationship between betatrophin levels and metabolic parameters in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

To evaluate the status of serum betatrophin levels and potential relations between metabolic parameters and betatrophin levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. We included patients newly diagnosed with PCOS in our study. Fifty-seven female patients (30 patients with PCOS and 27 healthy control subjects) were enrolled in this study. Serum betatrophin levels were measured using a betatrophin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Insulin resistance was calculated using the homeostasis model of the assessment-insulin resistance index formula. The betatrophin level was 1538,85 ng/L in the patient group and 2440,46 ng/L in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.003). A significantly negative correlation was found between betatrophin level and insulin, HOMA-IR, and BMI. Betatrophin levels in patients with PCOS are lower than those without PCOS and inversely related to insulin resistance.

Effects of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) nodule depth on pain score.

PURPOSE: Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the thyroid is generally a well-tolerated procedure associated with weak levels of pain. However, pain may be very intense in some patients. The cause for the pain in these patients has not been identified. The hypothesis of this study is that there is a likely relationship between pain level and nodule depth during FNAB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Included in the study were 98 patients with euthyroid nodular goiter who underwent FNAB. When ultrasound guided thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy was performed findings such as the distance of the nodule to the skin, the size of the nodule, visual analogue scale (VAS) score values were recorded. FINDINGS: The distance of nodule to skin and nodule size was measured, respectively, as 10.7 ± 2.8 mm and 21.7 ± 8.6 mm. Mean VAS score was 36 ± 16. FNAB-related pain was correlated with the nodule depth (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). In the logistic regression analysis, we also found that high VAS score class was effected by only nodule depth (B = -1.619; OR 1.287; CI 1.057-1.565, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results show that pain increased significantly during FNAB in patients who had more deeply situated nodules. Local anesthetic methods may be recommended for these patients.

Are small adrenal incidentalomas solely a radiological finding?

OBJECTIVE: The criterium defining the threshold size of adrenal incidentaloma (AI) is a size greater than 1 cm diameter. However, data concerning AI≤1 cm in diameter is scant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the function of adrenal masses≤1 cm and to compare them with adrenal masses>1 cm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 130 consecutive patients with AI (38 and 92 AI at ≤ 1 cm and > 1 cm, respectively). The patients were evaluated according to demographic and hormonal characteristics. RESULTS: The prevalence of SCS was 5.3 and 12% in AI≤1 cm and > 1 cm diameter, respectively. Hyperaldosteronism was found only in patients with > 1 cm AI. Pheochromocytoma were not found in either group. Patients with > 1 cm AI had a higher prevalence of SCS and primary hyperaldosteronism than patients with ≤ 1 cm AI, but the difference was not significant. The prevalence of diabetes and hypertension was high both in non-functional AI with ≤ 1 cm and > 1 cm patients and showed no significant difference between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to focus on the clinical and hormonal characteristics of patients with ≤ 1 cm AI. Those with AI≤1 cm harboured SCS, as was the case for AI>1 cm. Similar to AI>1 cm, non-functional AI≤1 cm also had a higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension.