Relative Adrenal Insufficiency is Associated with the Clinical Outcome in Patients with Stable Decompensated Cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The clinical impact of relative adrenal insufficiency (AI) on patients with stable decompensated cirrhosis (DeCi) has not been yet elucidated. AIM: Explore the association between AI and outcome [death or liver transplantation (LT)] in patients with DeCi. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with DeCi presenting no active complication have been included. Clinical and laboratory data, including serum levels of corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) were recorded in each participant. Salivary cortisol (SC) and serum total cortisol (STC) were assessed at (T0) and 1 h (T60) after intravenous injection of 250 µg corticotropin. RESULTS: 113 consecutive patients were totally tested. Median SC was 3.9 ng/mL and 15.5 ng/mL and median STC was 10.7 µg/dL and 22.7 µg/dL at T0 and T60 respectively. The patients with AI [group 1, n = 34 (30%)] had significantly lower systolic blood pressure (106 ± 12 vs. 113 ± 13 mmHg, p = 0.05), serum sodium (133 ± 7 vs. 137 ± 12 mEq/ L, p = 0.04), HDL (29.9 ± 14 vs. 38.6 ± 18 mg/dL, p = 0.034) and albumin (2.7 ± 0.5 vs. 3.1 ± 0.5 g/dL, p = 0.002), but higher direct bilirubin (median: 1.6 vs. 0.8 mg/dL, p = 0.029) compared to those without AI [group 2, n = 79 (70%)]. Moreover, group 1 patients presented more frequently past history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) [10/34 (29.4%) vs. 6/79 (7.5%), p = 0.002]. AI was significantly associated with death [HR = 2.65, 95% C.I.: 1.55 - 4.52, p = 0.003 over a follow up period of 12 (6-48) months.] Conclusions. The presence of AI in patients with stable DeCi predispose to obvious clinical implications since it is associated with circulatory dysfunction, previous history of SBP and worse survival.

[Idiopathic endometrial decidual reaction in a woman in postmenopause: immunocytochemical evaluation of estrogen and progesterone receptors and its corticoid binding globulin]. / Endometrio con reacción decidual idiopática en una mujer postmenopáusica: evaluación inmunocitoquímica de receptores de estrógeno, de progesterona y de su proteína transportadora (CBG).

Endometrial decidual reaction in postmenopausal women without an evident exogenous or endogenous progesterone stimulus, is uncommon. The morphological findings are decidual transformation of the endometrial stroma, necrosis, cellular pleomorphism and in some cases hyperplastic glands that exhibit focal atypia raising the possibility of malignancy. We report the case of a 55 years old woman with an idiopathic endometrial decidual reaction. In this woman, immunocytochemistry of endometrial tissue demonstrated the absence of cytoplasmatic and nuclear estrogen receptors. Staining of nuclear progesterone receptors and cytoplasmatic corticoid binding globulin, exceeded the immunoreactivity observed in any period of the menstrual cycle.

Estudo clínico multicêntrico sobre o efeito metabólico do contraceptivo mensal injetável contendo acetofenido de dihidroxiprogesterona 150 mg + enantato de estradiol 10 mg / A multicenter clinical trial on the metabolic effect of an injectable monthly contraceptive containing dihydroxyprogesterone acetophenide 150 mg + estradiol enanthate 10 mg

O efeito metabólico do contraceptivo mensal injetável contendo acetofenido de dihidroxiprogesterona (DHPA) 150 mg + enantato de estradiol (Een) 10 mg foi comparado ao de outros métodos anticoncepcionais comumente utilizados (pílulas contendo: etinilestradiol (EEn) 0,050 mg + levonogestrel (LNG) 0,250 mg, EE 0,030 + LNG 0,150 mg; e EE 0,030/0,040/0,030mmg + LNG 0,050/0,075/0,0125 mg; enantato de noretisterona (NEE) 200 mg via i.m.; e métodos nao-hormonais. Foram determinados os triglicerídeos séricos, colesterol HDL/LDL, cobre, ceruloplasmina, cortisol total e livre, CBG e testosterona total e livre e SHBG de usu rios crônicas. Este estudo contou com a participaçäo do total de 237 mulheres. As usuárias de métodos nao-hormonais utilizadas como controle apresentaram níveis mais altos de triglicerídeos. Os níveis de testosterona total e livre foram mais baixos em mulheres que utilizavam DHPA 150 mg + Een 10 mg e nas que tomavam pílulas anticoncepcionais (p<0,05 - 0,01). Tais alteraçöes foram levemente menores no grupo que utilizou o injetável. Os efeitos do DHPA 150 mg + EEn 10 mg sobre o colesterol HDL/LDL, cobre, ceruloplasmina, CBG, cortisol total e livre e SHBG foram raros ou inexistentes. Entretanto, com as pílulas anticoncepcionais (mesmo as de formulaçäo de baixa dosagem) ocorreram alteraçöes em todas essas vari eis, que foram altamente significativas na comparaçäo com o método injetável (p< 0,01) e com os métodos nao-hormonais (p<0,01); näo houve diferenças entre estes dois últimos métodos. Os resultados sugerem que o efeito metabólico da injeçäo mensal i.m. de DHPA 150 mg + Een 10 mg näo é superior aos dos anticoncepcionais orais comumente utilizados. Estes resultados também nao sugerem que a dose contida nesse injetável seja excessiva. Nao há qualquer evidência de que ele produza efeito cumulativo no organismo. Esses achados devem ser levados em consideraçäo com relaçäo à segurança do uso a longo prazo desse injetável.

Serum aldosterone and protein-binding variables in Yanomama Indians: a no-salt culture as compared to partially acculturated Guaymi Indians.

Yanomama Indians from the jungles of southern Venezuela and northern Brazil excreted 1 +/- 1.5 mEq of Na and 203 +/- 109 mEq of K and had low blood pressure (BP), 102/62 mm Hg). In comparison, Guaymi Indians of Panama excreted 103 +/- 50 mEq of Na and 118 +/- 52 mEq of K and had significantly higher BP (114/75 mm Hg, p less than 0.001). Elucidating the renin-aldosterone axis, total upright serum aldosterone in 34 Yanomama was high (85.6 +/- 78 ng/100 ml). The binding capacities of thermolabile (ABG) and thermostable (ABG-Ts) serum globulins for aldosterone were elevated at 23.8 +/- 6 and 14.9 +/- 2.6%, respectively; consequently, total ABG- plus ABG-Ts- bound aldosterone was as high as 38.6 +/- 6.3%. Plasma renin activity (PRA 10.3 +/- 2.4 ng/ml/h) and urinary aldosterone 18-glucuronide (70.3 +/- 30 micrograms/24 h) in 17 Yanomama were also very high. In contrast, total serum corticosteroids and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) binding capacity were normal, suggesting normal ACTH activity. PRA correlated positively with total (r = 0.47, p less than 0.05) and free (r = 0.47, p less than 0.05) serum aldosterone, which in turn showed a negative trend with Na (r = 0.33, NS) excretion. The effect of high dietary K appeared less important to aldosterone stimulation and PRA suppression. ABG-bound aldosterone (r = 0.43, p less than 0.01) as well as ABG-Ts (r = 0.56, p less than 0.05) were negatively correlated with diastolic but not systolic BP. The total ABG- and ABG-Ts-bound fraction correlated with diastolic BP (r = 0.43, p less than 0.05) in contrast to the free fraction (r = 0.08, NS) or total aldosterone (r = -0.09). Apparently, only bound serum aldosterone is important for the maintenance of diastolic BP. High serum aldosterone, with elevated excretion, indicates an increased secretion rate; increased serum protein binding suggests an increased tissular activity and alterations in aldosterone metabolism. In Guaymi Indians both total plasma aldosterone (14.5 +/- 65 ng/100 ml) and urinary aldosterone (8.1 +/- 4.8 micrograms/creatinine excretion) were normal. ABG-binding capacity for aldosterone was moderately elevated (17.8 +/- 4.8) and of ABG-Ts normal (10.2 +/- 1.2) suggesting a nearly normal aldosterone metabolism and regulation. The BP of Guaymi was significantly higher than that of the Yanomama.