[Erdheim-Chester disease: a rare histiocytosis with outstanding response to cobimetinib.] / Enfermedad de Erdheim-Chester: una rara histiocitosis con excelente respuesta a cobimetinib.

Introduction: Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) is a rare form of histiocytosis, characterized by xanthogranulomatous infiltration of multiple organs by lipid-laden histiocytes. It is considered a myeloid inflammatory clonal disorder that mainly affects men with a mean age of 55 years. Methods: We present the case of a 65-year-old man who consulted our Endocrinology Unit because of polyuria and polydipsia of 4 months of evolution, diagnosing central diabetes insipidus associated with pituitary infiltration. Physical examination showed skin lesions he has had for several years, that were papules-nodules in the anterior chest and xantelasma-like in the face and neck, with biopsy compatible with non-Langerhans histiocytosis. The genetic study of the skin biopsy showed the presence of a mutation in MAP2K1, confirming the ECD. Results: The patient started treatment with interferon alfa, but the response was incomplete and associated with severe intolerance, so given the findings of the genetic study, we decided to indicate treatment with cobimetinib, a potent and selective inhibitor of MEK. After 8 months of treatment, skin lesions have disappeared, as has the pituitary infiltration, with a remarkable improvement in his quality of life. Conclusions: We present a 65-year-old patient with a rare form of histiocytosis (ECD) who in turn presented an atypical form of ECD and, where the genetic study allowed us to confirm the diagnosis and use targeted therapy with cobimetinib with outstanding results.

Introducción: La Enfermedad de Erdheim-Chester (ECD) es una rara forma de histiocitosis, caracterizada por la infiltración xantogranulomatosa de múltiples órganos por histiocitos cargados de lípidos. Se la considera un trastorno clonal inflamatorio mieloide que afecta principalmente a hombres con una edad media de 55 años. Métodos: Presentamos el caso de un hombre de 65 años que consultó a nuestro Servicio de Endocrinología por poliuria y polidipsia de 4 meses de evolución diagnosticándose diabetes insípida central asociada a infiltración hipofisaria. El paciente presentaba lesiones cutáneas pápulo-nodulares en tórax y xantelasma-símiles en cuello y cara de varios años de evolución, con biopsia compatible con histiocitosis no-Langerhans. El estudio genético de la biopsia cutánea detectó la mutación MAP2K1 confirmando la ECD. Resultados: El paciente inició tratamiento con interferón alfa con respuesta incompleta y mala tolerancia por lo que cambiamos el tratamiento a un inhibidor potente y selectivo de MEK, el cobimetinib. Tras 8 meses de tratamiento presenta desaparición de lesiones cutáneas y de la infiltración hipofisaria con notable mejoría de su calidad de vida. Conclusión: Presentamos el caso de un paciente adulto con una forma rara de histiocitosis (ECD) que a su vez presentó una forma atípica de ECD y, donde el estudio genético nos permitió confirmar el diagnóstico e introducir una terapia dirigida con cobimetinib con excelentes resultados.

[Surgical treatment in acromegaly: experience in Córdoba]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico en acromegalia: experiencia en Córdoba

Introduction: Acromegaly prevalence is 35-70 / million. Transsphenoidal surgery is the first-line treatment, with a remission rate of 80% for microadenomas and 50% for macroadenomas. Our aim was to evaluate the surgical results in Córdoba and determine predictive remission factors due to the lack of records. Methods: Retrospective-descriptive study of patients with surgery as the first therapeutic line. Remission criteria: IGF1 normalization for age/sex, with GH ≤1.0 g/L. Test X2 and Fisher's exact test with p<0.05. Results: 38 patients were included: 61% women and 39% men; Average age 45 years. Most frequent chief complaint: headache and acral growth (26%), visual disturbances (20%). Macroadenomas were the 84% of the tumors. Of 37 patients, 54% underwent microscopic surgery, 38% endoscopic and 8% transcranial. The 29% of patients showed post-operative complications and diabetes insipidus was the most frequent (10%). The percentage of them was: 33% transcranial surgery, 29% endoscopic and 25% microscopic (p = 0.557). The biochemical remission at 6 months was 34% and at 12 months 55% (p= 0.0001). No significant differences between the endoscopic and microscopic approach (p = 0.071). Of 36 patients, 31% showed complete tumor resection. The subjective clinical improvement was 88%. There weren´t predictive remission factors with significant differences. Conclusion: The surgical biochemical remission was similar to the bibliography. We didn´t find predictive remission factors but a larger number of patients could modify these results.

Introducción: La acromegalia tiene una prevalencia de 35-70/millón. La cirugía transesfenoidal es el tratamiento de elección, siendo la tasa de remisión del 80% en microadenomas y 50% en macroadenomas. Debido a la falta de registros, nos propusimos evaluar los resultados quirúrgicos en Córdoba y determinar factores predictivos de remisión. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo-descriptivo de pacientes con cirugía como primera línea terapéutica. Criterios de remisión: normalización de IGF1 para edad/sexo, con GH ≤1,0 g/L.Test X2 y test exacto de Fisher y p<0,05. Resultados: Se incluyeron 38 pacientes: 61% mujeres y 39% hombres; edad promedio 45 años. Motivos de consulta más frecuentes: cefalea y crecimiento acral (26%), alteraciones visuales (20%). El 84% de los tumores fueron macroadenomas. De 37 pacientes, 54% se sometieron a cirugía microscópica, 38% endoscópica y 8% transcraneal. El 29% evidenció complicaciones postquirúrgicas, siendo la diabetes insípida la más frecuente (10%). El porcentaje de las mismas fue: cirugía transcraneal el 33%, endoscópica 29% y microscópica 25% (p= 0,557). La remisión bioquímica a los 6 meses fue de 34% y a los 12 meses 55% (p=0,0001). Sin diferencias significativas entre la vía endoscópica y microscópica (p=0,071). De 36 pacientes el 31% evidenció resección tumoral completa. La mejoría clínica subjetiva fue del 88%. No hubo factores predictivos de remisión bioquímica estadísticamente significativos. Conclusión: La remisión bioquímica con la cirugía fue similar a la bibliografía. No encontramos factores predictivos de remisión pero un número mayor de casos podría modificar estos resultados.

Hipofisitis linfoplasmocitaria con expresión de IgG4 / IgG4- related lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis

La hipofisitis linfoplasmocitaria con expresión de inmunoglobulina G4 (IgG4) es una entidad de reciente conocimiento. Pertenece al grupo de enfermedades relacionadas a IgG4 (IgG4-RD, del inglés: IgG4-related disease), donde uno o varios órganos pueden estar comprometidos, con síntomas compresivos u obstructivos, o disfuncionalidad por infiltración celular. La hipófisis puede estar afectada en forma aislada. Clínicamente, se presentan con diabetes insípida, hipopituitarismo y/o síntomas de masa ocupante selar, siendo los principales diagnósticos diferenciales los adenomas selares no secretantes, y otros tipos de hipofisitis. Para arribar al diagnóstico de este tipo patología es necesaria la presencia de una imagen de agrandamiento selar o engrosamiento del tallo pituitario en la resonancia magnética nuclear, una histopatología característica con inmunomarcación positiva para IgG4 en más de 10 células plasmáticas por campo de gran aumento y la presencia de IgG4 sérica elevada. Tienen una excelente respuesta a glucocorticoides, por lo que una sospecha diagnóstica oportuna evitaría una cirugía innecesaria en la mayoría de los pacientes con esta entidad.

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis is a recently known entity. It belongs to the IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD), in which one or more organs may be involved, with compressive or obstructive symptoms, or dysfunctionality due to cellular infiltration. The pituitary gland can be isolatedly affected. Clinically, lymphoplasmacytic hypophysitis presents with diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism and/or symptoms of an occupying sellar mass, being the non-secreting sellar adenomas and other types of hypophysitis the main differential diagnosis. In order to reach the diagnosis, the presence of pituitary enlargement or pituitary stalk thickening on an MRI scan, a distinctive histopathology with positive for IgG4 immunostaining in more than 10 plasma cells per high-powerfield, and elevated serum IgG4 levels, confirms this type of hypophysitis. As this entity has an excellent response to glucocorticoids, the diagnosis suspicion may avoid an unnecessary surgery in most patients.

Thyroid lipomatosis in a 36-year-old patient with rheumatoid arthritis and a kidney transplant.

UNLABELLED: Thyroid lipomatosis is a rare disease, as a total of 20 cases have been described in the literature. It is characterized by diffuse infiltration of the stroma by mature adipose tissue and by progressive growth that produces different degrees of compressive symptoms. Our aim is to present the case of a 36-year-old woman who consulted because of dyspnea caused by a multinodular goiter. She underwent surgery with the presumptive diagnosis of a malignant neoplasia, but the pathological examination of the surgical specimen established the diagnosis of thyroid lipomatosis. LEARNING POINTS: Thyroid lipomatosis is a rare, benign disease characterized by diffuse infiltration of the stroma by mature adipose tissue.The pathophysiology of diffuse proliferation of adipose tissue in the thyroid gland is unclear.Thyroid lipomatosis is clinically manifested by a progressive enlargement of the thyroid that can involve the airway and/or upper gastrointestinal tract, producing dyspnea, dysphagia, and changes in the voice.Given the rapid growth of the lesion, the two main differential diagnoses are anaplastic carcinoma and thyroid lymphoma.Imaging studies may suggest a differential diagnosis, but a definitive diagnosis generally requires histopathological confirmation after a thyroidectomy.

Histologically confirmed isolated IgG4-related hypophysitis: two case reports in young women.

UNLABELLED: IgG4-related hypophysitis is a recently described entity belonging to the group of IgG4-related diseases. Many other organs can also be affected, and it is more common in older men. To date, 32 cases of IgG4-related hypophysitis have been reported in the literature, 11 of which included confirmatory tissue biopsy and the majority affecting multiple organs. The aim of this report is to present two cases of biopsy-proven IgG4-related hypophysitis occurring in two young female patients with no evidence of involvement of other organs at the time of diagnosis. LEARNING POINTS: IgG4-related hypophysitis belongs to the group of IgG4-related diseases, and is a fibro-inflammatory condition characterized by dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates rich in IgG4-positive plasma cells and storiform fibrosis.It is more common in older men, but young women may also present this type of hypophysitis.Although involvement of other organs is frequent, isolated pituitary disease is possible.Frequent clinical manifestations include anterior hypopituitarism and/or diabetes insipidus.THE DIAGNOSIS MAY BE CONFIRMED WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: a pituitary biopsy with lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, with more than ten IgG4-positive cells; a sellar mass and/or thickened pituitary stalk and a biopsy-proven involvement of another organ; a sellar mass and/or thickened pituitary stalk and IgG4 serum levels >140 mg/dl and sellar mass reduction and symptom improvement after corticosteroid treatment.Glucocorticoids are recommended as first-line therapy.