Search

Context No consensus exists about the optimal duration of the low-iodine diet (LID) in the preparation of 131I therapy in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients. Objective This work aimed to investigate if a LID of 4 days is enough to achieve adequate iodine depletion in preparation for 131I therapy. In addition, the nutritional status of the LID was evaluated. Methods In this prospective study, 65 DTC patients treated at 2 university medical centers were included between 2018 and 2021. The patients collected 24-hour urine on days 4 and 7 of the LID and kept a food diary before and during the LID. The primary outcome was the difference between the 24-hour urinary iodine excretion (UIE) on both days. Results The median 24-hour UIE on days 4 and 7 of the LID were not significantly different (36.1 mcg [interquartile range, 25.4-51.2 mcg] and 36.5 mcg [interquartile range, 23.9-47.7 mcg], respectively, P = .43). On day 4 of the LID, 72.1% of the DTC patients were adequately prepared (24-hour UIE Conclusion The 24-hour UIE on day 4 of the LID did not differ from day 7, and therefore shortening the LID from 7 to 4 days seems justified to prepare DTC patients for 131I therapy in areas with sufficient iodine intake and may be beneficial to maintain a sufficient nutritional intake during DTC treatment.

Aim To study cell‐mediated immunity in the feet of people with type 2 diabetes with polyneuropathy. Methods In a cohort comprising people with type 2 diabetes with polyneuropathy (n = 17) and without polyneuropathy (n = 12) and a healthy control group (n = 12) indurations due to delayed‐type hypersensitivity responses to intracutaneous Candida albicans antigen were determined in the foot and compared with those in the arm (an area relatively spared in diabetic polyneuropathy). The sizes of indurations on the foot were correlated with electromyographic measurements in the participants with diabetes. Results No differences were observed in the median size of indurations between the foot and arm in healthy controls and participants without polyneuropathy; in participants with polyneuropathy, induration sizes on the foot were smaller than on the arm: 0 (95% CI 0 to 1) vs 5 (95% CI 2 to 6) mm (P < 0.01). In participants with diabetes, larger indurations correlated with better nerve function (Spearman's rho 0.35 to 0.39). Conclusion Our findings suggest that diabetic peripheral polyneuropathy negatively affects cell‐mediated immunity in the foot. (Clinical Trials registry no.: NCT01370837), What's new? Local immune responses can be impaired as a result of neurological deficits.Diabetic peripheral neuropathy could negatively affect cell‐mediated immunity selectively in the foot, the site most frequently and severely affected by peripheral neuropathy.More severe impairment of cell‐mediated immunity correlates with worse peripheral nerve function as measured by electromyography.Our study is the first to suggest the presence of locally diminished cell‐mediated immunity in the foot in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Impaired cellular immunity in the foot may explain the paucity of signs of inflammation in diabetic foot infections.

OBJECTIVE Infection commonly complicates diabetic foot ulcers and is associated with a poor outcome. In a cohort of individuals with an infected diabetic foot ulcer, we aimed to determine independent predictors of lower-extremity amputation and the predictive value for amputation of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) classification system and to develop a risk score for predicting amputation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We prospectively studied 575 patients with an infected diabetic foot ulcer presenting to 1 of 14 diabetic foot clinics in 10 European countries. RESULTS Among these patients, 159 (28%) underwent an amputation. Independent risk factors for amputation were as follows: periwound edema, foul smell, (non)purulent exudate, deep ulcer, positive probe-to-bone test, pretibial edema, fever, and elevated C-reactive protein. Increasing IWGDF severity of infection also independently predicted amputation. We developed a risk score for any amputation and for amputations excluding the lesser toes (including the variables sex, pain on palpation, periwound edema, ulcer size, ulcer depth, and peripheral arterial disease) that predicted amputation better than the IWGDF system (area under the ROC curves 0.80, 0.78, and 0.67, respectively). CONCLUSIONS For individuals with an infected diabetic foot ulcer, we identified independent predictors of amputation, validated the prognostic value of the IWGDF classification system, and developed a new risk score for amputation that can be readily used in daily clinical practice. Our risk score may have better prognostic accuracy than the IWGDF system, the only currently available system, but our findings need to be validated in other cohorts.

Aims: Diabetic complications, and in particular diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), are associated with low health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We evaluated whether the presence of diabetic complications also influenced the improvement of HRQoL during DFU treatment.Methods: 1088 patients presenting for DFU treatment at the centers participating in the Eurodiale study were followed prospectively up to one year. HRQoL was measured both at presentation and after healing or at end of follow up, using EQ-5D: a standardized instrument consisting of five domains and a summary index. The influence of diabetic comorbidity on the course of HRQoL was evaluated for each of the EQ-5D outcomes in multi-level linear regression analyses, adjusting for baseline characteristics.Results: HRQoL improved in all EQ-5D outcomes over the course of treatment for those DFUs that healed. The few significant differences in the development of HRQoL between patients with and without comorbidity showed a more beneficial development for patients with comorbidity in DFUs that did not heal or healed slowly.Conclusions: Comorbidity does not hamper improvement of HRQoL in DFU treatment. On the contrary, HRQoL improved sometimes more in patients with certain comorbidity with hard-to-heal ulcers. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVE To provide a comprehensive assessment of multiorgan insulin sensitivity in lean and obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure with stable isotopically labeled tracer infusions was performed in 40 obese (BMI 36.2 ± 0.6 kg/m2, mean ± SEM) and 26 lean (22.5 ± 0.3 kg/m2) subjects with normal glucose tolerance. Insulin was infused at different rates to achieve low, medium, and high physiological plasma concentrations. RESULTS In obese subjects, palmitate and glucose Ra in plasma decreased with increasing plasma insulin concentrations. The decrease in endogenous glucose Ra was greater during low-, medium-, and high-dose insulin infusions (69 ± 2, 74 ± 2, and 90 ± 2%) than the suppression of palmitate Ra (52 ± 4, 68 ± 1, and 79 ± 1%). Insulin-mediated increase in glucose disposal ranged from 24 ± 5% at low to 253 ± 19% at high physiological insulin concentrations. The suppression of palmitate Ra and glucose Ra were greater in lean than obese subjects during low-dose insulin infusion but were the same in both groups during high-dose insulin infusion, whereas stimulation of glucose Rd was greater in lean than obese subjects across the entire physiological range of plasma insulin. CONCLUSIONS Endogenous glucose production and adipose tissue lipolytic rate are both very sensitive to small increases in circulating insulin, whereas stimulation of muscle glucose uptake is minimal until high physiological plasma insulin concentrations are reached. Hyperinsulinemia within the normal physiological range can compensate for both liver and adipose tissue insulin resistance, but not skeletal muscle insulin resistance, in obese people who have normal glucose tolerance.

Objective. To improve the care of patients with painful diabetic polyneuropathy (PDP) by a specialized outpatient clinic for individuals referred by general practitioners and to determine the effects on pain, quality of life, and patient satisfaction. Material and Methods. One hundred twenty-one patients were prospectively enrolled. At baseline and after 12 months at end of treatment, patients filled in a set of validated questionnaires on severity and interference of pain, quality of life, anxiety and depression, and patient satisfaction with the service offered. Setting. The outpatient clinic is part of a regional chronic care management program, which includes both hospital-based endocrinologists and general practitioners. Results. Twenty-eight patients (27%) did not need any further treatment after one visit to the outpatient clinic. As initial drug, pregabalin was the most commonly prescribed drug (65%); amitriptyline was prescribed in only 30% due to its contraindications. Improvements were found in all pain scores (P < 0.05). Pain interference was improved in sleep (P < 0.01), general activity, and mood (P < 0.05). More than half of the patients (65%) were satisfied with the treatment and whished no further medication changes; 52% had a treatment success defined as pain relief = 30%. Medication was stopped due to inefficacy in 9% of patients and changed due to adverse effects in 20% of the patients. Conclusions. A specialized outpatient clinic for patients with PDP is an effective health care service. Using diagnostic instruments and a defined treatment algorithm, significant pain reduction was achieved in the majority of patients in a relative short period of time.

OBJECTIVE Insulin resistance is commonly associated with obesity. Studies conducted in obese mouse models found that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress contributes to insulin resistance, and treatment with tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), a bile acid derivative that acts as a chemical chaperone to enhance protein folding and ameliorate ER stress, increases insulin sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of TUDCA therapy on multiorgan insulin action and metabolic factors associated with insulin resistance in obese men and women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twenty obese subjects ([means ± SD] aged 48 ± 11 years, BMI 37 ± 4 kg/m2) were randomized to 4 weeks of treatment with TUDCA (1,750 mg/day) or placebo. A two-stage hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure in conjunction with stable isotopically labeled tracer infusions and muscle and adipose tissue biopsies were used to evaluate in vivo insulin sensitivity, cellular factors involved in insulin signaling, and cellular markers of ER stress. RESULTS Hepatic and muscle insulin sensitivity increased by ∼30% (P < 0.05) after treatment with TUDCA but did not change after placebo therapy. In addition, therapy with TUDCA, but not placebo, increased muscle insulin signaling (phosphorylated insulin receptor substrateTyr and AktSer473 levels) (P < 0.05). Markers of ER stress in muscle or adipose tissue did not change after treatment with either TUDCA or placebo. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that TUDCA might be an effective pharmacological approach for treating insulin resistance. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the target cells and mechanisms responsible for this effect.

Hepatic steatosis is associated with insulin resistance, but it is not clear whether increased intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content causes the resistance or is a marker. Subjects with familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) have high levels of IHTG because of a genetic defect in hepatic export of triglycerides, and provide a unique cohort to study the relationship between steatosis and insulin sensitivity.One group of lean subjects with normal IHTG content (2.2% +/- 0.6% of liver volume) (n = 6), and 3 groups of overweight and obese subjects matched for body mass index, were studied: (1) normal IHTG content (3.3% +/- 0.5%; n = 6), (2) high IHTG content (21.4% +/- 2.6%) due to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD; n = 6), and (3) high IHTG content (18.1% +/- 2.2%) due to FHBL (n = 3). A hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp procedure, in conjunction with glucose tracer infusion, was used to determine multiorgan insulin sensitivity.Hepatic insulin sensitivity (reciprocal of glucose rate of appearance [micromol x kg fat-free mass(-1) x min(-1)] x insulin [mU/L]) was greatest in the Lean group (2.0 +/- 0.4); it was the same among subjects with FHBL (0.8 +/- 0.1) and the group with normal IHTG content, matched for body mass index (0.7 +/- 0.1), but greater than the NAFLD group (0.3 +/- 0.1) (P

Objective Dopamine agonists are the first line therapy for the treatment of prolactinomas. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of macroprolactinomas during long-term follow-up after initial treatment with dopamine agonists. Design Retrospective follow-up study. Patients We included 72 consecutive patients (age 39 ± 17 years, men 46%) diagnosed with macroprolactinoma, and initially treated with dopamine agonists between 1980 and 2004. Results Initial presentation included headache in 49%, and visual field defects in 38% of the patients. Nine patients were already treated with dopamine agonists at presentation. Median prolactin level of the untreated patients was 460 µg/L (range 96–35,398 µg/L) at presentation. Hypopituitarism, other than hypogonadism, was present in 6% of the patients. Mean duration of follow-up was 10.2 ± 6.1 years. Additional transsphenoidal surgery was necessary in 35% of the patients, because of resistance and/or intolerance of dopamine agonists. Postoperative radiotherapy was provided to 18% of all patients. During long-term follow-up, normoprolactinemia was present in 85% of the patients, but biochemical remission (normal prolactin levels in the absence of dopamine agonists) was present in only 22% of the patients. Tumor shrinkage was evident on MRI in 57% of the patients. Hypopituitarism developed in 39% of the patients, especially in those who received additional surgery with or without radiotherapy. Conclusion Dopamine agonists are effective in normalizing prolactin values, and inducing tumor shrinkage. However, in one-third of the patients, additional therapy was necessary due to dopamine agonist resistance and/or intolerance, associated with a high incidence of hypopituitarism.

The increased risk of cardiac valve disease in patients treated for Parkinson's disease with cabergoline has raised concerns about the safety of treatment with ergot-derived dopamine agonists in patients with endocrine diseases, especially prolactinoma. Six cross-sectional studies have been published recently, of which five studies do not show an association between the treatment of prolactinoma with cabergoline during 45–79 months and clinically relevant valvular regurgitation in a total of 413 patients. Nonetheless, concern is raised because the use of cabergoline was associated in one study with an increased prevalence of moderate tricuspid regurgitation, and in two other studies with mild tricuspid regurgitation. Furthermore, the use of cabergoline was associated with increased frequencies of valvular thickening, calcifications and increased mitral tenting area. At present, the clinical relevance of these findings is still uncertain, but concern is raised with respect to the safety of the use of cabergoline in the long-term treatment of prolactinomas. Echocardiographic evaluation should be considered in patients, who require long-term treatment with cabergoline, especially in high doses. There is a need for larger, preferably prospective, studies with careful echocardiographic assessment and with longer durations of follow-up than the currently available studies.

Summary Objective Quality of life (QoL) is impaired in patients treated for pituitary adenomas. However, differences in age and gender distributions hamper a proper comparison of QoL. Therefore, we compared age- and gender-specific standard deviations (SD) scores (Z-scores) of QoL parameters in patients treated for pituitary adenomas. Patients and methods We determined Z-scores for health-related questionnaires [the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI)-20, Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36)] in patients during long-term follow-up (13 ± 8 years) after treatment for pituitary adenomas. Z-scores were calculated by comparing the data for 403 patients with acromegaly (n = 118), Cushing's disease (CD; n = 58), prolactinoma (n = 128), and nonfunctioning macroadenoma (n = 99) with a control population (n = 440) for each subscale of the questionnaires and for total QoL score. Results All subscales of the questionnaires and the total QoL score were negatively affected in patients compared to controls. Comparing the Z-scores, patients treated for acromegaly reported more impairment in physical ability and functioning and more bodily pain compared to patients treated for nonfunctioning macroadenoma and those treated for prolactinoma. Patients with CD reported impairment in physical functioning compared to patients treated for nonfunctioning macroadenoma. Linear regression analysis, with correction for age and gender, confirmed these findings. Additionally, CD was associated with increased anxiety. Hypopituitarism negatively influenced multiple aspects of QoL. Conclusion QoL is impaired in patients during long-term follow-up after treatment of pituitary adenomas. Patients with pituitary adenomas should be informed of these persistent adverse effects of their disease on QoL to prevent inappropriate expectations with respect to the long-term results of treatment.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Thyroid hormone receptors are present on brown adipose tissue (BAT), indicating a role for thyroid hormone in the regulation of BAT activation. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of thyroid hormone withdrawal followed by thyroid hormone in TSH-suppressive dosages, on energy expenditure and brown adipose tissue activity. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was a longitudinal study in an academic center, with a follow-up period of 6 months. Ten patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma eligible for surgical treatment and subsequent radioactive iodine ablation therapy were studied in a hypothyroid state after thyroidectomy and in a subclinical hyperthyroid state (TSH-suppression according to treatment protocol). Paired two-tailed t-tests and linear regression analyses were used. RESULTS: Basal metabolic rate (BMR) was significantly higher after treatment with synthetic thyroid hormone (levothyroxine) than in the hypothyroid state (BMR 3.8 +/- 0.5 kJ/min versus 4.4 +/- 0.6 kJ/min, P = 0.012), and non-shivering thermogenesis (NST) significantly increased from 15 +/- 10% to 25 +/- 6% (P = 0.009). Mean BAT activity was significantly higher in the subclinical hyperthyroid state than in the hypothyroid state (BAT standard uptake value (SUVMean) 4.0 +/- 2.9 versus 2.4 +/- 1.8, P = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that higher levels of thyroid hormone are associated with a higher level of cold-activated BAT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02499471.

Pituitary carcinomas are extremely rare. In general, the initial clinical, biochemical, and histological characteristics are of minimal utility in distinguishing benign adenomas from pituitary carcinomas. We describe a 63-year-old woman with a macroprolactinoma, who presented with diplopia and blurred vision. This unusual initial presentation and the subsequent aggressive clinical course, with diffuse local and distant intramedulary metastases, prompted us in retrospect to make a detailed analysis of the therapeutic interventions and histology. In addition, we reviewed all available literature on published cases of malignant prolactinoma and detailed their epidemiological, clinical, and histopathological characteristics. In brief, it is postulated that pituitary carcinomas arise from the transformation of initially large, but benign, adenomas. Unusual and/or atypical clinical manifestations appear to occur more frequently. In vivo, the development of dopamine agonist resistance in invasive macroprolactinoma is indicative of malignancy and should prompt the clinician to perform a biopsy of the tumor. For pituitary tumors that exhibit high mitotic activity, increased Ki-67 and/or p53 immunoreactivity, it may be useful to denote these tumors as ‘atypical’ prolactinomas to raise the possibility of future malignant development.

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that excessive sitting time is associated with increased health risk, independent of the performance of exercise. We hypothesized that a daily bout of exercise cannot compensate the negative effects of inactivity during the rest of the day on insulin sensitivity and plasma lipids.Methodology/Principal Findings: Eighteen healthy subjects, age 21 +/- 2 year, BMI 22.6 +/- 2.6 kgm(-2) followed randomly three physical activity regimes for four days. Participants were instructed to sit 14 hr/day (sitting regime); to sit 13 hr/day and to substitute 1 hr of sitting with vigorous exercise 1 hr (exercise regime); to substitute 6 hrs sitting with 4 hr walking and 2 hr standing (minimal intensity physical activity (PA) regime). The sitting and exercise regime had comparable numbers of sitting hours; the exercise and minimal intensity PA regime had the same daily energy expenditure. PA was assessed continuously by an activity monitor (ActivPAL) and a diary. Measurements of insulin sensitivity (oral glucose tolerance test, OGTT) and plasma lipids were performed in the fasting state, the morning after the 4 days of each regime. In the sitting regime, daily energy expenditure was about 500 kcal lower than in both other regimes. Area under the curve for insulin during OGTT was significantly lower after the minimal intensity PA regime compared to both sitting and exercise regimes 6727.3 +/- 4329.4 vs 7752.0 +/- 3014.4 and 8320.4 +/- 5383.7 mU.min/ml, respectively. Triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B plasma levels improved significantly in the minimal intensity PA regime compared to sitting and showed non-significant trends for improvement compared to exercise.Conclusions: One hour of daily physical exercise cannot compensate the negative effects of inactivity on insulin level and plasma lipids if the rest of the day is spent sitting. Reducing inactivity by increasing the time spent walking/standing is more effective than one hour of physical exercise, when energy expenditure is kept constant.

AimTo identify the factors responsible for the low health-related quality of life associated with foot ulcers and the relative importance of these factors. MethodsA total of 1232 patients with a new foot ulcer, who presented at one of the 14 centres in 10 European countries participating in the Eurodiale study, were included in this cross-sectional study. Patient and ulcer characteristics were obtained as well as results from the Euro-Qol-5D questionnaire, a health-related quality of life instrument with five domains (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression). To analyse the relative importance of comorbidities and ulcer- and patient-related factors for health-related quality of life, linear regression models were used to calculate the relative contributions of each factor to the fit (R-2) of the model. ResultsPatients reported poor overall health-related quality of life, with problems primarily in the mobility and pain/discomfort domains. Among the comorbidities, the inability to stand or walk without help was the most important determinant of decreased health-related quality of life in all five domains. Among ulcer-related factors, ulcer size, limb-threatening ischaemia and elevated C-reactive protein concentration also had high importance in all domains. The clinical diagnosis of infection, peripheral arterial disease and polyneuropathy were only important in the pain/discomfort domain. ConclusionsThe factors that determine health-related quality of life are diverse and to an extent not disease-specific. To improve health-related quality of life, treatment should not only be focused on ulcer healing but a multifactorial approach by a specialized multidisciplinary team is also important. What's new? The inability to stand or walk without help is the most important determinant of poor health-related quality of life. Other factors with high importance are ulcer size, elevated C-reactive protein concentration and limb-threatening ischaemia. To improve health-related quality of life, treatment should not only be focused on ulcer healing but a multifactorial approach by a specialized multidisciplinary team is also important.

Healing of heel ulcers in patients with diabetes is considered to be poor, but there is relatively little information on the influence of ulcer location on ulcer healing.The influence of ulcer location on time to healing of diabetic foot ulcers was analysed by multivariate Cox regression analysis for 1000 patients included in the Eurodiale study, a prospective cohort study of patients with diabetic foot disease.Median time to healing was 147 days for toe ulcers [(95% confidence interval (CI) 135-159 days)], 188 days for midfoot ulcers (95% CI 158-218 days) and 237 days for heel ulcers (95% CI 205-269 days) (p 0.01). The median time to healing for plantar ulcers was 172 days (95% CI 157-187 days) and 155 days (95% CI 138-172 days) for nonplantar ulcers (p = 0.71). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, the hazard ratio for ulcer healing for midfoot and heel ulcers compared with toe ulcers was 0.77 (95% CI 0.64-0.92) and 0.62 (95% CI 0.47-0.83), respectively; the hazard ratio for ulcer healing for plantar versus nonplantar ulcers was 1 (95% CI 0.84-1.19). Other factors significantly influencing time to healing were the duration of diabetes, ulcer duration, the presence of heart failure and the presence of peripheral arterial disease.Time to ulcer healing increased progressively from toe to midfoot to heel, but did not differ between plantar and nonplantar ulcers. Our data also indicate that risk factors for longer time to healing differ from factors that affect the ultimate number of ulcers that heal (healing rate).

Few data exist on sex- and age-specific incidence and prevalence of idiopathic hyperprolactinemia and prolactinomas. Our objective was to assess incidence and prevalence of dopamine agonist-treated hyperprolactinemia by age and sex. From the PHARMO network, we identified an open cohort of patients who were ever dispensed dopamine agonists for hyperprolactinemia. The network includes complete medication histories for more than 2 million community-dwelling residents. Prolonged use of low-dose dopamine agonist is a reliable marker for hyperprolactinemia, provided that use for Parkinson's disease and lactation withdrawal is excluded. Diagnoses were verified by prolactin values in a random subsample using the same network. We identified 11,314 subjects with at least one dispensing of dopamine agonist in the period 1996-2006, of whom 1607 subjects were considered to have dopamine agonist-treated hyperprolactinemia based on the prescribing pattern. The majority of patients were women (n = 1342, 84%). The diagnosis proved to be incorrect in only 1.5% of a random subsample. The estimated incidence rate of dopamine agonist-treated hyperprolactinemia for women was 8.7/100,000 person-years and for men 1.4/100,000 person-years. The highest incidence rate was found in women 25-34 yr of age: 23.9/100,000 person-years. The mean prevalence of ever treated female patients was almost five times higher (93.9/100,000) compared with male patients (19.6/100,000). The incidence rates and the prevalence of dopamine agonist-treated hyperprolactinemia showed an overall preponderance in women, with a strong peak for women aged 25-34 yr. In men, no peak was found

Objective: Most studies on treatment of microprolactinoma have focused on clinical and biochemical outcome rather than on functional and mental well-being. We evaluated this topic in female patients with microprolactinoma, because other pituitary adenomas are associated with decreased quality of life. Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Patients and methods: To assess the impact of treatment for microprolactinoma on subjective well-being, quality of life was investigated in 55 female patients (mean age 45 ± 10 years), treated for microprolactinoma in our center, using four validated, health-related questionnaires: Short-Form-36 (SF-36), Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Patient outcomes were compared with those of 183 female controls with equal age distributions. Results: Anxiety and depression scores were increased when compared with controls for all subscales as measured by HADS, and fatigue for all but one subscale as measured by MFI-20. Patients treated for microprolactinoma had worse scores on social functioning, role limitations due to physical problems (SF-36), energy, emotional reaction, and social isolation (NHP) when compared with control subjects. Important independent predictors of quality of life were reproductive status and anxiety and depression scores according to the HADS. Conclusion: Quality of life is impaired in female patients treated for microprolactinoma, especially due to increased anxiety and depression. These increased anxious and depressive feelings might be due to possible effects of hyperprolactinemia on the central nervous system. Failure to recognize this association may adversely affect patient–doctor relationships.

Ever since the first descriptions of adrenal insufficiency following exogenous supplementation physicians dread to abolish perioperative glucocorticosteroid supplementation. Now, 55 years after the first publications we can challenge those first reports. However, these cases have resulted in the supplementation of supraphysiological doses of glucocorticosteroids to patients that use exogenous corticosteroids: the so-called perioperative glucocorticosteroid supplementation or "(gluco)corticosteroids stress scheme". It is very questionable whether a dose that exceeds the normal daily production of 5.7 mg cortisol per square meter of body surface area is necessary to prevent perioperative hypotension. Retrospective, prospective and randomised studies, though all methodologically flawed, are discussed and show that continuation of the "basal" amount of glucocorticosteroids is Sufficient to Counterbalance surgical stress. The current and rather defensive strategy of perioperative supraphysiological glucocorticosteroid supplementation is not embedded in medical evidence. Additionally, high doses of glucocorticosteroids have disadvantages that should not be ignored. (c) 2007 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVE Growth hormone release in response to all known stimuli of GH secretion is blunted in obese subjects. Several studies, using dl-fenfluramine (dl-FF) as a serotoninergic tool, suggest that brain serotonin plays a role in the pathogenesis of this phenomenon. However, the effect of dl-FF appears to be dependent on the stimulus used to induce GH release. Furthermore, dl-FF has catecholamingergic properties apart from its capacity to stimulate serotonin release and to block its re-uptake. In this study, we investigated whether subchronic treatment with the highly selective serotoninergic drug dexfenfluramine (d-FF) affects the GH response to galanin or GHRH in obese subjects. DESIGN The study had a randomized, cross-over, placebo controlled design. d-FF was administered in a dose of 15 mg twice daily during 6 days. On days 5 and 6 of treatment (with either d-FF or placebo) an i.v. bolus injection of 100 μg hGHRH(1-44) or a continuous infusion of p-galanin (40 pmol/kg/min over 40 minutes) were administered in randomized order. All tests were performed in the follicular phase of two consecutive menstrual cycles. PATIENTS Eight obese women (body mass index (BMI) 34.5 ± 3.6 kg/m2); 7 normal weight (BMI 21.9 ± 1.9 kg/m2) age-matched control women. All women had a regular menstrual cycle. None used oral contraceptive drugs. MEASUREMENTS GH response to either stimulus was measured both during treatment with d-FF and during treatment with placebo. RESULTS The GH response to galanin and the response to GHRH were significantly smaller in obese subjects. d-FF significantly reduced the galanin induced GH secretion in obese subjects, but not in normal weight controls. It did not significantly affect GH release in response to GHRH in either group. CONCLUSION This study confirms that GH secretion in response to stimuli with varying mechanisms of action is blunted in obese subjects. A decrease of central serotonin mediated neurotransmission does not appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of this phenomenon.