Endocrinological status of patients with periodontal disease.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether changes in the endocrinologic status occur in patients with progressive forms of periodontal disease and, if so, what their role is. For this purpose the function of hypophysis, concentration of pituitary and accessory gland hormones, parathormone, calcium, phosphorous, glucose and lipids in blood were determined. The study was carried out in 77 subjects, 37 patients with advanced periodontal disease, and 40 control subjects with normal periodontium. Blood glucose was significantly lower in the study group (p < 0.01%) which was surprising, since increased glucose values are known to favor the development of periodontal disease. Growth hormone was significantly lower in the study group (p < 0.01%). Concentrations of parathormone calcium and phosphorous were also lower in the study group. Among sex hormones, only estradiol was found to have a significantly lower value in the study group (p = 0.92%). Although the values of nearly all hormones were within the reference range, the within-group analysis showed significant differences for some hormones. In general, these results were lower in subjects with advanced periodontal disease.

Neuroendocrinological aspects of primary empty sella.

Neuroendocrinological aspects of 42 patients (33 women, 9 men) with primary empty sella confirmed by CT, cysternography and/or MR imaging were analyzed. The prominent symptoms were headache, visual disturbances and hypertension, occurring primarily in obese women (84.5%). Patients underwent dynamic endocrine testing consisting of insulin-induced hypoglycemia and anterior pituitary stimulation tests GnRH and TRH. Variable degree of pituitary dysfunction was observed in 28 (66.6%) patients. In this study 20 (47.6%) patients were presented with latent hypopituitarism, while manifest hypopituitarism, requiring replacement therapy, occurred in 8 (19%) patients. Mild hyperprolactinaemia was found in 3 patients. Even 14 (33.3%) patients had no evidence of endocrine dysfunction. Often mentioned diabetes insipidus and rhinoliquorrhea were not reported in this study.

Diagnostic value of thyrotropin releasing hormone test in 129 patients with suspected tumoral hyperprolactinemia.

In 129 hyperprolactinemic (PRL > or = 100 ng/mL) and 100 normoprolactinemic patients (PRL 0-25 ng/mL), delta max. PRL (the difference between maximal prolactin (PRL) after thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) injection and basal value) was compared with basal PRL and computed tomography (CT) of the sellar region. In 122 hyperprolactinemic patients delta max. PRL was < 100%, while tumor was found in 106 of them. In the remainder seven hyperprolactinemic patients delta max. PRL was > or = 100% and CT showed no tumor. A significant difference in delta max. PRL between hyperprolactinemic patients without and those with verified adenoma was found and showed a significant negative correlation with basal PRL. Between 122 hyperprolactinemic patients with delta max. PRL < 100%, mean basal PRL and duration of clinical symptoms were significantly lower in 16 patients with normal CT compared to 106 patients with tumor. All normoprolactinemic patients showed delta max. PRL > or = 100% and no tumor on CT. PRL stimulation disturbance precedes tumor visualization and represents a decisive diagnostic parameter in hyperprolactinemic patients with no tumor signs.

Chiasma syndrome in acromegalic patients--correlation of neuroradiologic and neuroophthalmologic findings.

The study evaluated neuroophthalmologic and computerized tomography (CT) findings in 100 patients with somatotrophic adenoma and clinical picture of acromegaly, who underwent transsphenoidal adenomectomy. Prior to the surgery, visual field was normal in 77 patients. The diameter of adenoma in these patients ranged from 8 to 30 mm on CT, and the average value was 13.5 mm. Various kinds of visual field disturbances were present in 23 patients. The diameter of their adenomas ranged between 18 to 35 mm, with the average of 24.7 mm. Compared to visual field defects, CT findings of suprasellar adenoma extension were better correlated with chiasma syndrome (p < 0.001). All patients with suprasellar mass greater than 10 mm had chiasma syndrome. Degenerative adenoma changes (hemorrhagic necrosis), which precipitate abrupt increase in size of the tumor, were more frequently seen in patients with chiasma syndrome. The incidence of chiasma syndrome directly correlates with the degree of suprasellar extension of the tumor.

Lymphocytic adenohypophysitis simulating a pituitary adenoma in a pregnant woman.

The lymphocytic hypophysitis, appearing in women during the third trimester of pregnancy or early post-partum period, is a rare cause of hypopituitarism and pituitary enlargement. A 39 year-old woman presented in the 37th week of pregnancy with bilateral heteronymous quadrantanopsia, CT indicative of tumorous mass and symptoms of hypopituitarism with decreased thyroid hormone and thyrotrophin levels, and low normal level of cortisol. After the birth of a healthy male child the patient breastfed for 10 days, sight disturbances disappeared, but amenorrhea persisted. Upon admittance the visual field showed no abnormalities. MR of the sellar region confirmed previous CT findings. Endocrinological testing confirmed secondary hypothyroidism and cortisol deficiency, normal levels of prolactin with satisfactory reaction to thyroliberin. Histology showed mononuclear infiltration, and immunohistochemistry revealed T-cells (CD3) at the borders, and B-cells (CD20) in the follicular center. Due to enlargement of the pituitary associated with hypopituitarism, an incorrect diagnosis of a tumor could be made.

Comparative immunohistochemical analysis of estrogen receptor and chromogranin-A reactivity in plurihormonal human prolactinomas.

The aim of the study was to compare the immunoreactivity of estrogen receptors (ER) and chromogranin-A (CHR-A) in human prolactinomas with verified plurihormonality. Eleven cases of prolactinomas, nine found in women aged from 15-32 and two found in two men both aged 54 years, were analyzed for possible colocalization of other hormones produced by adenohypophysis, i.e. growth hormone (GH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). All evaluated cases of prolactinomas were clinically manifested by elevated values of prolactin (PRL) in patient serum, while the values of other assayed hormones were within the normal range. Although biopsy material is not routinely submitted to immunohistochemical analysis for plurihormonality, these eleven cases of operated prolactinomas were randomly examined to the presence of plurihormonality. In six cases of prolactin-producing adenomas, the coexistence of growth hormone was detected. Colocalization of follicle-stimulating hormone and weak expression of adrenocorticotropic hormone were found in two cases each. Thus, bihormonal activity (PRL + GH) was found in six, and trihormonal activity (PRL + GH + FSH and PRL/GH + ACTH) in three cases of prolactinoma. In addition, the presence of prolactin and growth hormone was demonstrated in morphologically different cells. Eight of these eleven pituitary adenomas were tested for estrogen receptors (ER), which play an important role as growth stimulating factors and secretory factors for prolactin-producing cells. We tried to determine if there was a difference in the intensity of expression of estrogen receptors and chromogranin-A between pure prolactinomas and mixed, plurihormonal prolactinomas. By use of monoclonal antibodies, chromogranin-A found to be reactive in seven of eleven prolactinomas, i.e. in plurihormonal prolactinomas. Estrogen receptors were markedly expressed in all the eight prolactinomas analyzed, which may prove significant in the treatment of these hypophyseal tumors.

[The effect of degree of renal function damage on the levels of serum gastrin and gastric acid secretion]. / Utjecaj stupnja ostecenja bubreznih funkcija na koncentraciju gastrina u serumu i sekreciju zelucane kiseline.

Fasting serum gastrin concentrations and both basal and maximum-stimulated gastric acid secretory rates have been studied in 225 patients with various degrees of impairment of renal function and 42 healthy subjects. Basal gastrin concentrations in the chronic renal failure (CRF) patients were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in control subjects. When the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was used as an index of the degree of renal impairment serum gastrin rose proportionately with the degree of renal failure. Basal (BAO), maximal (MAO) and peak acid output (PAO) in the CRF patients were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than in the control group. Both in the basal condition and during pentagastrin stimulation the CRF patients had low volume of gastric secretion. There was significant positive correlation between basal serum gastrin concentrations and the severity of renal damage. The basal serum gastrin concentration was inversely related to BAO, MAO and PAO in the CRF patients with severe impairment of renal functions. The results indicate that hypergastrinemia in CRF patients might be due to a combined effect of impaired renal catabolism of gastrin and overproduction of gastrin associated with hypochlorhydria. The present findings suggest that in CRF there are some unknown mechanisms that inhibit gastric secretion.

Effect of l-dopa on growth hormone, glucose, insulin, and cortisol response in obese subjects.

Plasma growth hormone, glucose, insulin and cortisol response to oral administration of L-dopa and in insulin-tolerance test were investigated in 18 obese subjects. The results were compared with the results obtained in 10 normal subjects. The obese subjects displayed a lack of growth hormone responsiveness to L-dopa and a diminished GH responsiveness to hypoglycemia. There was no significant difference in glucose response to hypoglycemia in normal and obese subjects. Obese subjects showed normal increments of plasma cortisol following induction of hypoglycemia although there was no consistent cortisol response after L-dopa administration. A blood glucose response following L-dopa administration was seen in most of normal subjects while no increment of blood glucose was noticed in obese subjects.

[Small gastrin (G-17) serum levels after stimulation with food during conservative treatment of patients with chronic renal insufficiency]. / Koncentracija malog gastrina (G-17) u serumu poslije podrazajnog obroka u konzervativno lijecenih bolesnika s kronicnom bubresnom insuficijencijom.

The physiological release mechanism for gastrin is complex, including both mechanical and chemical stimuli. Distention of the antrum is the main mechanical stimulus, and proteins and their degradation products constitute the most potent chemical stimuli. The aim of the present study was to examine the little gastrin (G-17) response to a test meal and to study the relationship between the G-17 concentration and gastric acid secretion in patients with various degrees of chronic renal failure (CRF). In 14 CRF patients under conservative treatment and 12 healthy control subjects, fasting and stimulated G-17 concentrations, as well as basal (BAO), maximal (MAO) and peak acid secretion (PAO) were measured. Mean fasting serum G-17 in CRF patients was 7.8 +/- 0.8 pmol/L, significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than in control subjects (5.9 +/- 1 pmol/L). However, the range of basal G-17 concentrations in both groups of subjects was not different from the normal values (4.2 +/- 11.3 pmol/L). The serum G-17 response to the food stimulation was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in the control subjects than in the CRF patients. In normal subjects, the increment in the serum G-17 concentration rose to a peak at 30 min, but in the CRF patients the peak increment occurred at 60 min, and the response was more prolonged. There was a little difference in meal-stimulated serum G-17 concentrations in patients with various degrees of renal functional impairment. Basal acid output (BAO) was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in the control subjects (2.62 +/- 0.51 mmol/h) than in the CRF patients (1.68 +/- 0.4 mmol/h). No significant difference in both the maximal acid output (MAO) and peak acid output (PAO) was found between the groups of CRF patients and control subjects. There was no relationship between G-17 concentrations and the gastric acid output in the CRF patients. From the results of the present study it is concluded that the human kidney is unimportant in the catabolism of G-17 but that the renal failure seems to decrease the rate of the peripheral extraction of gastrin by other tissues. The raised basal and meal-stimulated G-17 concentrations sometimes seen in CRF patients are associated with decreased rather than increased gastric acid secretions.