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Introduction: The clinical characteristics of subacute thyroiditis (SAT) has been changing in recent years. There are more and more patients with painless SAT, and more cases of SAT with elevated levels of anti-thyroid antibodies were reported. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of SAT patients with special regard to the differences between the previously described and currently observed features of the disease., Material and Methods: Clinical and laboratory data were retrospectively reviewed for 64 patients with confirmed SAT., Results: Mean age of the patients was 42.67 years. The male to female ratio was 1:7. Neck or ear pain was reported by 93.75% of patients, while fever occurred in 65.63% of patients. The aTPO and aTg levels were increased in 15.5% and 33.3% of patients, respectively. TRAb level was increased in 6% of patients. Transient microhaematuria was present in 63% of analyzed cases. No statistically significant differences in clinical characteristics or laboratory results were found between the groups with- and without neck/ear pain, with- and without elevated TRAb, and with- and without elevated aTPO and/or aTg., Conclusion: In our study, several new features of current SAT course, different from what we used to know about the disease, were reported. Higher frequency of painless SAT than it was ever described, was observed. Moreover, in as much as one third of the patients aTPO and/or aTg were present, and in 6% of SAT cases the coexistence of TRAb was demonstrated. Transient microhaematuria was typical for the acute SAT phase.

Background: The main clinical manifestations of autoimmune thyroid diseases are Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Graves' disease is the cause of most cases of hyperthyroidism in childhood. Indications for radical therapy (surgery or 131I treatment) in children are still a matter of discussion, as sustained (sometimes very long) remission of GD is possible, while the radical therapy almost always leads to hypothyroidism. Spontaneous evolution from GD with hyperthyroidism to HT with hypothyroidism may also be observed., Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical course of 6 cases of hyperthyroid girls with GD in whom a normalization of previously increased autoantibodies against thyrotropin (TSH) receptor (anti-TSHR) was observed together with a significant increase in autoantibodies against thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and thyroglobulin (anti-Tg), with concomitant hypo- or euthyroidism but no recurrence of hyperthyroidism., Subjects: Patients' age at diagnosis ranged from 5.0 to 16.5 years. Two (2) patients had Turner syndrome, another one (1), diabetic, was on insulin therapy., Results: In all the girls, antithyroid drugs were administered and euthyroid state was achieved during the first 2.0-3.5 months of the treatment. Mild side effects were observed in only one case. The therapy was continued up to 1.5-4.0 years. Relapses during the therapy were observed in 2 cases. Up to now, no relapses have been observed for 0.5-7.5 years since the therapy withdrawal in 5 patients (1 patient was lost to follow-up), 2 patients are currently treated with levothyroxine due to hypothyroidism., Conclusions: It seems that the prolonged pharmacotherapy with antithyroid drugs, followed by observation after remission of hyperthyroidism, may be an appropriate therapeutic option at least in some children with GD as they can be cured without radical therapy and the potential risks of such treatment.

Objective: Having an offspring is the most important human biological goal, which is necessary for survival of the human species. Lack of offspring is a phenomenon concerning approximately 15% of married couples in Poland. In a half of the cases, a causative agent is the male factor infertility problem. There is evidence that certain male fertility problems are related with disorders of the process of spermatogenesis. The course of normal spermatogenesis depends on proper pituitary secretion of folliculostimulin (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), as well as testicular secretion of testosterone. It is considered that in approximately 20% of patients with idiopathic infertility an elevated level of sperm DNA fragmentation may be the cause of failure in reproduction. The objective of the present study was determination of the relationship between FSH, LH and testosterone levels, and the occurrence of sperm DNA fragmentation., Methods: The present study was conducted in the year 2012 in the Non-Public Health Care Unit 'Ovum Reproduction and Andrology' in Lublin, and covered 186 men treated for infertility. For inclusion into the study group we qualified males aged 25-35, who have been treated for infertility for more than 1 year, with no pathological features observed in the female partner. The structure of sperm chromatin was evaluated using the technique of flow cytometry-Sperm Chromatin Structure assay (SCSA). The result of the examination was a sperm DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI), i.e., the percentage of sperm with DNA lesions (DNA fragmentation). A morning blood sample (5 mL volume) was obtained and sent to an authorized laboratory to assess serum levels of testosterone, LH and FSH., Results: An intensified sperm DNA fragmentation co-occurred with both extremely low and extremely high levels of FSH and LH. Sperm DNA fragmentation was negatively correlated with testosterone level.

Objectives: The prevalence of pituitary tumours has recently been identified to be higher than previously thought. The aim of our study was to assess the occurrence of hypothalamic-pituitary tumours in 20-year material of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Polish Mother`s Memorial Hospital - Research Institute, Lodz, Poland., Methods: We analyzed medical data of 845 patients, hospitalized from 1990 to 2009 due to presumptive diagnosis of hypothalamic-pituitary tumour. Among 340 cases with confirmed diagnosis, 278 tumours were classified as micro- or macroadenomas. Tumour type and size, as well as patient gender and age, were evaluated. In 252 tumours the exact volume was calculated, and 4 volume subgroups were assessed for each aforementioned parameter separately., Results: Prolactinomas and - at the next place - non-functioning adenomas were the most frequent, followed by pituitary tumors of non-epithelial origin, and - finally, the rarest - other secreting adenomas. Prolactinomas were found mostly in females (p=0.028), while non-functioning adenomas in males (p=0.045). Prolactinomas and non-functioning adenomas were found to be predominantly microadenomas (p<0.0001 and p=0.0003, respectively), while mixed-type adenomas were mostly macroadenomas (p=0.028). In females microadenomas were the most frequent (p<0.0001). Moreover, in persons under 50 years of age microadenomas predominated, whereas in older adults macroadenomas mostly occurred., Conclusion: To conclude, our retrospective, single-centre study provides relevant estimates of prevalence of hypothalamic-pituitary tumours in the era of modern diagnostic tools and indicates that our data are comparable with results regarding other populations worldwide.

Objective: Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is a prooxidant and carcinogen. Melatonin is a highly effective antioxidant. Indole-3-propionic acid (IPA; indole substance) and propylothiouracil (PTU; antithyroid drug) reveal some antioxidative effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate KBrO3-induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) in vitro in tissues collected from control or melatonin-treated rats, and to compare potential preventive effects of melatonin, IPA and PTU., Materials and Methods: Kidney, liver and lung homogenates from either control or melatonin-pretreated rats (0.0645 mmol/kg b.w., i.p., twice daily, 10 days) were incubated in the presence of KBrO3 (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 mM). Then, control lung homogenates were incubated with KBrO3 (10.0 mM) together with melatonin (0.01, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, 7.5 mM), or with IPA or with PTU. LPO products (malondialdehyde+4-hydroxyalkenals) were measured spectrophotometrically., Results: Melatonin injections prevented KBrO3-induced LPO in lung homogenates. Melatonin, IPA and PTU, used in vitro, reduced KBrO3-induced LPO in control lungs. Unexpectedly, KBrO3 caused a concentration-dependent decrease in LPO in liver and kidney homogenates from control but not from melatonin-treated rats., Conclusions: Potassium bromate-induced LPO in the rat lung homogenates suggests that the lung may be the target for this carcinogen. An exposure of organisms to melatonin decreases tissue sensitivity to KBrO3-induced damage, possibly by restoring the oxidative balance.