Synthesis of 1,2,4-triazole-5-on derivatives and determination of carbonic anhydrase II isoenzyme inhibition effects.

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) II plays major roles in pH regulation of body, protection of electrolyte balance, transportation of water and some metabolic pathways. Therefore, CA II inhibitors are very important molecules for drug design and have many pharmacological applications. CA II as a target molecule is also important for eliminating some pathological conditions such as glaucoma, cancer, epilepsy, ulcer and obesity. In this study, some 1,2,4-triazole derivatives were synthesized and CA II inhibition potentials of these molecules were examined. It has been found that molecule 7c was the most potent inhibitor with the lowest IC50 value at micromolar level among the examined molecules. The inhibition in the range of 18.41-64.97% was seen in the presence of newly synthesized molecules at their reachable maximum concentration in the reaction mixtures. Kinetic studies showed that the inhibition mechanism of compound 7c on carbonic anhydrase activity was reversible and uncompetitive. Molecular docking studies also indicated that compound 7c could bind to the active site of the enzyme by weakly interacting with especially Gln102, Leu240, Ala241 and Trp243. ADME properties of these newly synthesized (3a-e, 6, 7a-e) were also studied and showed good oral drug candidate like properties.

Thyroid volumes and serum VEGF levels in dyslipidemic patients: effects of statin treatment

Background/aim: Defective vascularization may be important in thyroid nodular disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in dyslipidemic patients with thyroid nodules, as well as the effects of statin therapy Materials and methods: The study included 37 dyslipidemic patients with thyroid nodules and 32 dyslipidemic patients without thyroid nodules. Anthropometry, serum VEGF levels, biochemical parameters, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3) and free thyroxine (fT4) levels, and thyroid sonography were determined before and after 6 months of statin therapy. Results: Patients with and without thyroid nodules had similar metabolic parameters. Serum VEGF levels did not differ between the groups. In patients with nodules, VEGF levels remained unchanged (P = 0.931) after statin therapy. However, serum VEGF levels were lowered by statin treatment in patients without nodules (P = 0.030). Statin therapy resulted in a decrease in the dominant thyroid nodule volume. The changes in thyroid volume and dominant thyroid nodule volume were not correlated with changes in VEGF, body mass index, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Conclusion: Although statin treatment decreases serum VEGF levels in dyslipidemic patients without thyroid nodules, it has no lowering effect on serum VEGF levels in patients with thyroid nodules. The decrease in thyroid nodule volume with statin treatment was associated with neither metabolic parameters nor serum VEGF levels.

Unusual presentations of Carney Complex in patient with a novel PRKAR1A mutation.

Carney Complex (CNC) is a multiple neoplasia syndrome characterized by skin tumors and pigmented lesions, myxomas, and various endocrine tumors. The aim of this case report was to describe a case of CNC with a novel PRKAR1A mutation. A man aged 46 years with a medical history of surgery for cardiac myxomas at the age of 39 was admitted to our hospital because of four newly-developed heart masses. The histologic examination confirmed cardiac myxomas. He had many presentations of CNC such as growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL)-secreting mixed pituitary adenoma, benign thyroid nodule, large-cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor (LCCST), and superficial angiomyxoma. A bilateral adrenalectomy was performed because the laboratory findings suggested primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD). The pathologic examination revealed a focal unilateral PPNAD, unilateral nonpigmented adrenocortical nodule, and bilateral adrenal medullary hyperplasia. Two years after the second cardiac operation, an interatrial septum-derived tumor was detected. An atrial myxoma was confirmed with histologic studies. Based on these findings, the patient was confirmed to have CNC. A novel insertion mutation in the type 1A regulatory subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A gene (PRKAR1A) in exon 2 was detected in our patient through genetic analysis. The presence of multiple myxomas and endocrine abnormalities should be an indication to physicians to further investigate for CNC. Herein, we described a case of CNC with a novel mutation in exon 2 of the PRKAR1A gene with typical and atypical clinical features.

Reasons and results of endoscopic surgery for prolactinomas: 142 surgical cases.

BACKGROUND: We report herein a retrospective analysis of the results of 142 consecutive prolactinoma cases operated upon using an endoscopic endonasal trans-sphenoidal approach over a period of 6 years. METHODS: Medical records of 142 cases were analysed with respect to indications for surgery, duration of hospital stay, early remission rates, failures and recurrence rates during a median follow-up of 36 months. RESULTS: On the basis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, 19 patients (13.4 %) had microadenoma, 113 (79.6 %) had macroadenoma, and the remaining 10 (7.0 %) had giant adenomas. Cavernous sinus invasion was identified in 25 patients by MRI and confirmed during surgery. Atypical adenoma was diagnosed in 16 patients. Sparsely granulated prolactin adenoma was identified in 99 patients (69.7 %). Our results demonstrate that male sex and higher preoperative prolactin levels are independent factors predicting persistent disease. The post-surgical complications are as follows: 2.8 % patients had meningitis, 2.1 % patients had postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak and 2.1 % patients had panhypopituitarism. At the end of follow-up, 74.6 % patients went into remission. During follow-up period, five patients who had initial remission developed recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Our series together with literature data suggest that an endoscopic endonasal trans-sphenoidal approach in the treatment of proloctinomas has a favourable rate of remission. According to the findings of this study, endoscopic endonasal trans-sphenoidal surgery might be an appropriate therapy choice for patients with prolactinoma who could not have been managed with recommended therapeutic modalities.

The association between thyroid volume, L-thyroxine therapy and hepatocyte growth factor levels among patients with euthyroid and hypothyroid goitrous and non-goitrous Hashimoto's thyroiditis versus healthy subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is the most common etiology of hypothyroidism in regions where iodine deficiency is not a concern. To date, many clinical investigations have been conducted to elucidate its pathogenesis. Several growth factors have been shown to have a role in its development. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the aforementioned molecules. We aimed to demonstrate whether HGF is responsible for HT and goiter development. Also, we aimed to test the hypothesis that levo-thyroxine sodium therapy will suppress HGF levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one premenopausal women who were admitted to our outpatient clinic between November 2010 and September 2011 were enrolled. Three groups were determined according to their thyroid function tests (TFTs) as euthyroid Hashimoto's, control and subclinical hypothyroid Hashimoto's groups. Basal TFTs, anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), anti-thyroglobulin (anti-tg), thyroid ultrasonography (USG) and HGF were studied and recorded. Subclinical hypothyroid HT patients received levo-thyroxine sodium replacement therapy, and were re-assessed for the same laboratory and radiologic features after a median 3.5 month follow-up. RESULTS: Basal HGF levels were not different between groups. In the subclinical hypothyroidism group, HGF levels (752.75 ± 144.91 pg/ml vs. 719.37 ± 128.05 pg/ml; p = 0.496) and thyroid volumes (12.51 ± 3.67 cc vs. 12.18 ± 4.26 cc; p = 0.7) before and after treatment did not change significantly. No correlations were found between HGF and other parameters. HGF levels were similar between subjects with nodular goiter and normal thyroid structure. CONCLUSIONS: HGF was not shown to be associated with HT and goiter development. In addition, levo-thyroxine sodium replacement therapy did not alter serum HGF levels significantly.

The performance of hemoglobin A1c against fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance test in detecting prediabetes and diabetes.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is accepted among the algorithms used for making diagnosis for diabetes and prediabetes since it does not require subjects to be prepared for giving a blood sample. The aim of this study is to assess the performance of HbA1c against fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in detecting prediabetes and diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 315 subjects were included in this study. The success of HbA1c in distinguishing the three diagnostic classes was examined by three-way receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The best cut-off points for HbA1c were found for discriminating the three disease status. RESULTS: The performance of HbA1c, measured by the volume under the ROC surface (VUS), is found to be statistically significant (VUS = 0.535, P < 0.001). The best cut-off points for discriminating between normal and prediabetes groups and between prediabetes and diabetes groups are c1 = 5.2% and c2 = 6.4% respectively. CONCLUSION: The performance of HbA1c in distinguishing between the prediabetes and diabetes groups was higher than its ability in distinguishing between healthy and prediabetes groups. This study provides enough information to understand what proportion of diabetes patients were skipped with the HbA1c especially when the test result is healthy or prediabetes. If a subject was diagnosed as healthy or prediabetes by HbA1c, it would be beneficial to verify the status of that subject by the gold standard test (OGTT and FPG).

Pancreatosteatosis in patients with adrenal incidentaloma: A risk factor for impaired glucose metabolism.

AIMS: Patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI) are at increased risk of impaired glucose metabolism, which is known to be associated with pancreatosteatosis (PS). We aimed to investigate the risk of developing dysglycemia for patients with non-functioning AI (NFAI) versus those without, and whether the presence of PS predicts future dysglycemia in patients with NFAI. METHOD: In 80 patients with NFAI and 127 controls matched for age, sex, and body mass index, changes in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) were evaluated at 2 years. PS was evaluated with data obtained from non-contrast abdominal computed tomography (CT) performed at the initial evaluation. RESULTS: Mean FPG levels increased significantly after 2 years in both groups (P < 0.001, for both), albeit significantly higher among patients than the controls (P = 0.002). The increases in HbA1c and FPG levels were significantly higher among patients with PS than without PS, in the adenoma group (p < 0.001, P = 0.00, respectively). The change in Hba1c levels was associated with the presence of PS in patients with NFAI (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the presence of PS may provide significant information in predicting newly developed dysglycemia in patients with NFAI.

Triglyceride-glucose index levels in patients with Klinefelter syndrome and its relationship with endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance: a cross-sectional observational study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, which is a simple surrogate marker of insulin resistance that is associated with various cardiometabolic diseases, in patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS). Subjects and methods: A total of 30 patients with KS (mean age: 21.53 ± 1.66 years) and 32 healthy controls (mean age: 22.07 ± 1.01 years) were included in the study. The clinical and laboratory parameters, TyG index, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) level, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level were measured in patients with KS and healthy subjects. Results: Patients with KS had higher HOMA-IR score (p = 0.043), ADMA levels (p < 0.001), and TyG index (p = 0.031) and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p < 0.001) than healthy subjects. TyG index was positively correlated with plasma ADMA (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.36, p = 0.011). Multivariate analyses showed that total testosterone level (ß = -0.44, p = 0.001) and TyG index (ß = 0.29, p = 0.045) were independent determinants of plasma ADMA levels. Conclusion: Patients with KS had higher TyG indices than healthy subjects. Moreover, TyG index was independently associated with endothelial dysfunction in patients. TyG index may be a practical and useful measure to show the increased endothelial dysfunction in patients with KS.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor increases in type 2 diabetes after treatment with metformin.

OBJECTIVE: Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) has anti-angiogenic, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to the significant role it plays in reducing diabetic complications, PEDF is now used in the treatment of certain cancers. It possibly plays a role in insulin resistance cases, too. However, whether metformin treatment has any significant effects on PEDF levels is not known. In this study, we investigated the regulation of PEDF in type 2 diabetes in relation to fat mass and insulin resistance before and after the use of metformin for treatment. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: Thirty-six patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 33 healthy individuals. MEASUREMENTS: Baseline weight, waist circumference (WC), fasting (FPG) and postprandial (PPPG) glucose, insulin, HbA1c, HOMA, PEDF and total/truncal fat mass were determined both in the diabetic and control subjects. Procedures were repeated in the diabetic group after a 6-month metformin treatment. RESULTS: Baseline FPG, PPPG, HbA1c, HOMA, weight, WC and truncal fat mass were higher in patients with diabetes whereas PEDF levels were found to be comparable with the controls. We completed the study with 31 of the 36 patients with diabetes we had selected for the study. We observed a decrease in the weight, WC, FPG, PPPG, HOMA, total and truncal fat mass of the patients while there was a significant rise in the PEDF levels (P = 0·002) after the metformin treatment. On the other hand, no significant correlation was observed between the change in PEDF levels and the clinical and laboratory findings. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to identify a metformin-related increase in PEDF levels in diabetes. The increase observed in PEDF levels after the metformin treatment does not seem to be related to the changes in insulin resistance, fat mass or glycemic control. Hence, our results suggest that further investigation is necessary to determine the direct effects of metformin on PEDF gene and protein expression in vitro.

Nasopharyngeal sarcoidosis: a rare involvement.

Sarcoidosis is a chronic, multisystemic, non-caseating granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Nasopharyngeal involvement is very rare in sarcoidosis. The objective of this report was to evaluate a rare involvement of sarcoidosis. This report includes a case of nasopharyngeal sarcoidosis. A 51-year-old female with nasopharyngeal sarcoidosis was treated as sarcoidosis, and she was better. Nasopharyngeal involvement is very rare in sarcoidosis but it must be kept in mind.

The role of vascular endothelial growth factor in the development of papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients with lymphocytic thyroiditis.

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune chronic inflammatory conditions and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We hypothesized that, as VEGF expression is increased both in PTC and in lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT), it may stimulate the development of PTC in patients with LT. To evaluate this, we examined both tumor and adjacent non-tumoral tissues of PTC patients with and without LT. METHODS: A total of 50 patients with PTC (52.50±7.41 years) and 17 patients with nodular goiter (NG) (50.47±10.38 years) were included in the study. According to the presence of LT, patients with PTC were further divided into two groups. Immunohistochemical analyses of VEGF were conducted in all patients and for PTC patients, both tumor tissue and adjacent non-tumoral tissue were evaluated. RESULTS: The scores for intensity of staining and percentage of labeled thyrocytes for VEGF were found to be significantly higher in the PTC patients than in the NG patients (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). The tumor tissue revealed similar scores for PTC patients with LT and without LT. However, the scores in adjacent non-tumoral tissue were higher in PTC patients with LT than in patients without LT (p=0.004, p=0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, our results are the first to demonstrate that the expression of VEGF in adjacent non-tumoral tissue were higher in PTC patients with LT than in those without, which shows a possible role of VEGF expression in the progression of PTC in the presence of LT.

Triglyceride-glucose index levels in patients with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and the relationship with endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance.

INTRODUCTION: The risk of cardiometabolic diseases is increased in patients with hypogonadism. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a novel surrogate marker of insulin resistance and is associated with cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the TyG index levels and the relationship with endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance in patients with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 98 patients with CHH (mean age 21.66 ± 1.99 years) and 98 healthy control subjects (mean age 21.69 ± 1.21 years) were enrolled. The demographic parameters, TyG index, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels were measured for all participants. RESULTS: The patients had higher waist circumference (p < 0.001), triglycerides (p = 0.001), insulin (p = 0.003), HOMA-IR (p = 0.002), ADMA (p < 0.001), and TyG index (p < 0.001) levels and lower HDL-C (p = 0.044) and total testosterone (p < 0.001) levels compared to healthy control subjects. TyG index levels significantly correlated with the ADMA (r = 0.31, p = 0.003) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.32, p < 0.001) levels. TyG index was also determinant of HOMA-IR levels (ß = 0.20, p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study show that patients with CHH had increased TyG index levels. Also, the TyG index is independently associated with insulin resistance in patients with CHH. Long-term follow-up studies are warranted to find out the role of the TyG index in determining cardiometabolic risk in patients with hypogonadism.

Characteristics of patients with hypertension in a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results from the Turkish Nationwide SurvEy of Glycemic and Other Metabolic Parameters of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus (TEMD Hypertension Study).

BACKGROUND: The present survey aimed to find out the demographical and clinical characteristics of patients with hypertension in a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Turkey. METHODS: Patients with T2DM who were followed-up in tertiary endocrine units for at least last one year were recruited. Demographic, clinical and biochemical data of the patients were collected. Hypertension was defined as taking anti-hypertensive medications or having office arterial blood pressure (ABP) ≥140/90 mmHg or home ABP ≥ 130/80 mmHg. RESULTS: A total of 4756 (58.9% women) diabetic patients were evaluated. The percentage of patients with hypertension was 67.5% (n = 3212). Although 87.4% (n = 2808) of hypertensive patients were under treatment, blood pressure was on target in 52.7% (n = 1479) of patients. Hypertension proportions were higher in woman (p = 0.001), older, more obese, and those who had longer diabetes duration, lower education levels, higher frequency of hypoglycemic events (all p < 0.001) and higher triglyceride levels (p = 0.003). LDL cholesterol level and the percentage of smokers were lower in hypertensive group than in non-hypertensive group (both p < 0.001). The percentage of macro and microvascular complications was higher in the hypertensive group than in the normotensive one (both p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, being a woman (OR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.04-1.51, p = 0.016), smoking (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.80, p = 0.020), regular physical activity (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.01-1.53, p = 0.039) and the presence of macrovascular complications (OR: 1.38 95% CI: 1.15-1.65, p = 0.001) were the significant predictors of good ABP regulation. The ratios of masked and white coat hypertension were 41.2% and 5.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that two-thirds (67.5%) of adult patients with T2DM have hypertension. Co-existence of hypertension increases the frequency of macro and microvascular diabetic complications in these patients. Despite the critical role of hypertension in morbidity and mortality, only half of the patients have favorable ABP levels. Masked hypertension seems to be another important issue in this population.

The Effect of Exenatide on Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone and Thyroid Volume.

OBJECTIVE: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogues are now widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Many binding sites for GLP-1 have been demonstrated in the specific tissue compartments of organs in-cluding the brain and thyroid. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exenatide treatment on thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid volume in diabetic patients without thyroid disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 46 diabetic patients without thyroid disease who were receiving exenatide treatment. Comparisons were made of total thyroid volume and serum concentrations of TSH at baseline and after 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Of the 46 patients, 13 were excluded from the study, as they were unable to complete the treatment or left the follow-up process. After 6 months of exenatide treatment, the serum TSH concentration decreased significantly (from 2.3 [0.7-5.4] to 1.8 mIU/L [0.3-4.2], p= 0.007). There were no significant differences in thyroid volume (11.6 ± 9.0 vs. 12.1 ± 8.8 cm3, p = 0.19), free thyroxine (fT4), free tri-iodothyronine (fT3), and calcitonin levels before and after treatment. Thyroid volume was not affected by decreased TSH level (p:= 0.141) or a reduction in body mass index (BMI) (p > 0.05), and no correlation was detected between variation in TSH level and change in BMI (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Exenatide treatment for 6 months significantly decreased serum TSH concentration but did not affect thyroid volume in diabetic patients without thyroid disease.

Triglyceride-glucose index levels in patients with Klinefelter syndrome and its relationship with endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance: a cross-sectional observational study

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, which is a simple surrogate marker of insulin resistance that is associated with various cardiometabolic diseases, in patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS). Subjects and methods: A total of 30 patients with KS (mean age: 21.53 ± 1.66 years) and 32 healthy controls (mean age: 22.07 ± 1.01 years) were included in the study.The clinical and laboratory parameters,TyG index, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) level, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level were measured in patients with KS and healthy subjects. Results: Patients with KS had higher HOMA-IR score (p = 0.043), ADMA levels (p < 0.001), and TyG index (p = 0.031) and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p < 0.001) than healthy subjects. TyG index was positively correlated with plasma ADMA (r = 0.48, p < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.36, p = 0.011). Multivariate analyses showed that total testosterone level (β = −0.44, p = 0.001) and TyG index (β = 0.29, p = 0.045) were independent determinants of plasma ADMA levels. Conclusion: Patients with KS had higher TyG indices than healthy subjects. Moreover, TyG index was independently associated with endothelial dysfunction in patients. TyG index may be a practical and useful measure to show the increased endothelial dysfunction in patients with KS.

Incidental Tc-99m Methylene Diphosphonate Uptake in an Active Thyroid Nodule.

Tc-99m-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) whole body scintigraphy is the method of choice for detection of metastatic bone diseases. It is primarily used to help diagnose various bone-related conditions such as primary or metastatic cancer of the bone, location of bone inflammation, and fractures that may not be visible on traditional X-ray images, as well as detection of bone damage due to infections and other conditions. In addition, bone scanning is often used for the follow-up or evaluation of response to treatment in some malignancies like prostate and breast cancers. Pathologies of other systems can also be incidentally detected on whole body bone scan. Herein we present an interesting image of an active thyroid nodule that showed Tc-99m MDP uptake in a prostate cancer patient.

Prediction of central lymph node metastasis in patientswith thyroid papillary microcarcinoma

Background/aim: The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and predictive factors for central lymph node metastasis (CLNM).Materials and methods: Patients diagnosed as having PTC and PTMC were evaluated. Clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded.Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 47.3 +- 11.9 years. Of all 223 patients, 91 (40.8%) had lymph nodes removed, 29 of whom had lymph node metastasis and 24 of whom had only CLNM. Univariate analysis revealed that central lymph node metastasis was associated with male sex, presence of bilaterality, presence of extrathyroidal extension, and tumor size (P = 0.033, P = 0.027, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). However, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sex, age, tumor size, multifocality, bilaterality, extrathyroidal extension, clinical suspicion, and chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis were not significantly correlated with an increased risk for CLNM.Conclusion: Lymph node metastasis is known to be a significant predictor of locoregional recurrence in patients with PTC and PTMC. Further prospective studies are needed to identify the extent of surgery such as central lymph node dissection in patients with PTC or PTMC.

Frequency of nodular goiter and autoimmune thyroid disease and association of these disorders with insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent endocrine disease in women. Nodular goiter and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) are endocrinologic abnormalities that have high prevalence. The purpose of our study was to detect the prevalence of AITD and nodular goiter in patients with PCOS and investigate whether PCOS-related hormones and metabolic factors affect these thyroid disorders. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety-seven women with PCOS and 71 healthy female volunteers were recruited into the study. Serum-free thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone, anti-thyroperoxidase antibody and anti-thyroglobulin antibody levels were evaluated. Thyroid volume (TV) was calculated using ultrasonography. RESULTS: The body mass index (BMI), Waist/Hip ratio, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting blood glucose, triglyceride and low-density lipoproteins, and fasting insulin were significantly higher in the PCOS group (p<.05). The control group had significantly higher serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol results (p=.005). The mean TV was 11.4±4.7 mL in the PCOS group and 9.9±2.8 mL in the controls (p=.022). Twenty-nine patients with PCOS (29/97; 29.9%) had thyroid nodules, whereas only eleven control subjects had thyroid nodules (11/71; 15.5%) (p=.043). The frequency of AITD was significantly higher in the PCOS group (p=.001). A statistically significant relationship was found between TV and age, fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, BMI, and fasting insulin (p<.05). Participants with thyroid nodules were older and had higher fasting glucose, BMI, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR values compared with those without thyroid nodules (p<.05). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that TV and frequency of nodular goiter were increased in patients with PCOS. This result was related with insulin resistance. Therefore, we recommend that patients with PCOS must be investigated for the development of nodular goiter and AITD.

Chemerin is not associated with subclinical atherosclerosis markers in prediabetes and diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Chemerin is a novel adipokine that is correlated with adipocyte differentiation, glucose metabolism, and inflammation. We aimed to investigate the relation between serum chemerin level and subclinical atherosclerosis markers as exemplified by brachial artery pulse wave velocity (baPWV), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), epicardial fat thickness (EFT), and carotid plaque presence in diabetes and prediabetes. METHODS: Age-, body mass index (BMI)-, and gender-matched patients with type 2 DM (n=30), prediabetes (n=25), and normal glucose tolerance (n=25) were included in this cross-sectional study. Serum chemerin level, lipid parameters, glucose metabolism marker, baPWV, CIMT, EFT, and anthropometric were recorded. The independent risk factors for atherosclerosis markers were determined by linear and/or multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: baPWV and carotid plaque presence were higher in the diabetes group than in prediabetes and control groups (p=0.039 and p=0.035 respectively), whereas serum chemerin levels were similar among groups (p=0.338). Chemerin levels were not correlated with PWV, CIMT, and epicardial fat thickness overall or in the subgroups. Overall and in the diabetes group, chemerin levels were positively correlated with the key components of metabolic syndrome as BMI, total body fat percentage, waist circumference, triglyceride, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP). After adjusting for age, gender, and BMI, only the association between chemerin and systolic BP remained significant. Chemerin was not found as an independent risk factor for predicting atherosclerosis in diabetes and prediabetes. CONCLUSION: Chemerin is not a predictive marker for atherosclerosis in diabetes and prediabetes, but correlates well with key aspects of the metabolic syndrome particularly in diabetes.