PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Banchini

Publications and source records attributed to A Banchini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Pituitary function in chronic heart failure in the elderly.

Heart failure is a complex syndrome characterized by the activation of hemodynamic, immunologic and neurohormonal systems, which have beneficial effects in the short run, but will ultimately lead to secondary end-organ damage with worsening of LV remodeling and subsequent cardiac decompensation. A very important role seems to be played by modifications of the pituitary hormone systems. Due to the neurohormonal activation there is an increase in the activity in the renin angiotensin system, in the adrenergic nervous system, and in the cytokine system. In heart failure there is a decrease in many anabolic hormones, such as a decrease of GH and IGF-I, of DHEA/DHEAS with normal or increased F, and a decrease of LH and sex steroids, resulting in an important catabolic drive, capable of contributing to the development of cardiac failure and to sarcopenia and/or cachexia, frequently observed in the advanced stages of the disease. However, these hormone alterations have been described in relatively young patients with chronic heart failure, since the mean age of all the subjects studied was of about 60 yr and none of the studies have specifically addressed this issue in the very old patients, who represent the largest portion of population affected by this pathological condition. The role of hormone replacement therapy needs to be verified in a population of elderly patients with heart failure.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Evaluation of the circadian profiles of serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), cortisol, and cortisol/DHEA molar ratio after a single oral administration of DHEA in elderly subjects.

Aging is associated with a selective decline in circulating levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate, with no major changes in cortisol secretion. In young subjects, serum levels of both DHEA and cortisol are regulated according to a circadian rhythm, and an age-related attenuation of DHEA, but not cortisol, circadian rhythmicity has been reported. Several trials have evaluated the effects of DHEA supplementation in elderly subjects, although the results are still controversial. However, no data are available on the 24-hour profile of DHEA circulating levels in elderly subjects with DHEA administration. In the present study, we evaluated the circadian rhythms of DHEA, cortisol, and the cortisol/DHEA molar ratio in old subjects treated with either placebo (old-PL) or a single 50-mg dose of DHEA (old-D), both administered orally at 0700 hours. For each variable, the circadian profiles were compared with those obtained in young control subjects. The group of young subjects displayed a circadian rhythm for both DHEA and cortisol serum concentrations but no rhythm for the cortisol/DHEA molar ratio. In the old-PL group, the circadian rhythm of DHEA was completely abolished, whereas significant rhythms for both cortisol and the cortisol/DHEA molar ratio were observed. Particularly, at each time point, the cortisol/DHEA molar ratio was significantly higher in these subjects versus the young group. In the old-D group, the circadian rhythm of DHEA was completely restored and was comparable to that observed in the young group. Analogous to the observations in young subjects, the profile of the cortisol/DHEA molar ratio in old-D subjects did not display any circadian rhythmicity, the values being almost completely comparable to those observed in young controls. Our data demonstrate that the circadian rhythm of DHEA is totally abolished in elderly subjects. A single 50-mg dose of DHEA administered orally at 0700 hours restores the circadian rhythmicity of serum DHEA and almost completely normalizes the 24-hour profile of the cortisol/DHEA molar ratio in old subjects without affecting the cortisol circadian rhythm.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

alpha-Glycerylphosphorylcholine administration increases the GH responses to GHRH of young and elderly subjects.

Growth hormone (GH) secretion is decreased during aging in humans and in rodents. This decrease may be due to increased hypothalamic somatostatin release, which is inhibited by cholinergic agonists, or to decreased secretion of GHRH. Alpha-glyceryl-phosphorylcholine (alpha-GFC) is a putative acetylcholine precursor used in the treatment of cognitive disorders in the elderly. In order to learn what effect alpha-GFC had on GH secretion, GH-release hormone (GHRH) was given to young and old human volunteers, with or without the addition of alpha-GFC. GH secretion was greater in the younger subjects than in the old individuals, and both groups had a greater GH response to the GHRH+alpha-GFC than to GHRH alone. The potentiating effect of alpha-GFC on GH secretion was more pronounced in the elderly subjects. These findings confirm the observation that aged individuals respond less well to GHRH than younger subjects, and provides further evidence that increased cholinergic tone enhances GH release.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Dissociated effect of buserelin on luteinizing hormone (LH) and alpha subunit in men.

Chronic treatment with LHRH analogs is known to depress testosterone (T) values to castration levels. In contrast to results from animal experiments, studies in humans indicate that a pituitary-dependent mechanism predominates in the suppression of plasma T. However, this reduction in T levels may occur when LH values are within or below the normal range. One explanation for this result has been that while absolute values of LH in serum may not change, the bioactivity of LH is reduced. The present study has been performed to determine whether this discrepancy between LH and T values is obscured by the hypersecretion of the alpha-subunit which is devoid of any biological activity but crossreacts in most RIAs with LH. Following 2 days of blood collection to establish basal serum hormone levels, six men with prostatic cancer were treated with the LHRH agonist, Buserelin (500 micrograms sc, daily injection) for 15 days. The most significant endocrine responses at the end of this treatment were as follows: 1) T levels were depressed to the castration range; 2) no change was seen in the LH values with a conventional RIA procedure which crossreacted with the alpha-subunit; 3) a significant decrease was found in the LH values evaluated with an immunoradiometric (IRMA) method, which shows no cross-reactivity with the alpha-subunit; 4) there was a significant increase in the alpha-subunit levels; and 5) serum FSH levels were significantly decreased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Secretion of alpha-subunit and intact gonadotropins after surgical and chemical castration.

In order to investigate the regulatory mechanisms involved in the secretion of glycoprotein hormones, we studied the secretory patterns of LH, FSH and alpha-subunit in hypogonadal men. Three groups of patients with carcinoma of the prostate were studied both before and 15 days after orchiectomy, or the initiation of ketoconazole or LHRH analog therapy. There were significant increases (P less than 0.01) in LH and alpha-subunit levels in the patients treated with orchiectomy and ketoconazole, but FSH levels increased only in the orchiectomized patients. After LHRH analog treatment, LH levels were significantly decreased when assayed with an immunoradiometric assay method which does not cross-react with alpha-subunit. FSH values were significantly lower than pretreatment levels, while alpha-subunit levels remained significantly elevated throughout the study period. These results demonstrate that after both chemical (ketoconazole) and surgical castration, the secretion of alpha subunit follows a pattern which is tightly correlated with that of LH but not of FSH. However, after LHRH analog treatment, alpha-subunit appears to be the sole secretory product of the gonadotroph.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

ACTH 1-17 stimulates GH pituitary secretion in humans.

Nineteen normal subjects (12 men and 7 women) were injected with 100 micrograms of ACTH 1-17. Additionally 6 male subjects were studied twice at 3-day intervals with random infusions of ACTH 1-17 and saline. A clear GH response to ACTH 1-17 infusions (GH peak higher than 5 ng/ml) was documented in 10 out of 12 males and in 6 out of 7 women. In the 6 male subjects studied twice, clear-cut GH increments were observed only after peptide administration. PRL levels decreased throughout the study period both in male and female subjects; however, when the PRL percentage decline was evaluated in the same group of subjects after saline and ACTH 1-17, the more obvious decrease of PRL levels after the peptide infusion was not statistically significant. No variation of LH, FSH and TSH levels was documented. With the exception of the specific increase of cortisol levels, no significant change in peripheral steroid pattern (Te, E2, DHEA-S) was observed. In this experiment the effect on GH secretion was quite evident in both sexes. This effect was obtained using the lowest dosage of ACTH preparation documented in the literature.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1984

Acute infusion of hCG and thyroid hormone pattern before and after bilateral orchiectomy.

An acute infusion of 5000 IU of hCG was given to a group of 10 elderly men affected by prostatic carcinoma prior to and 1 month after castration to evaluate the possibility of any aspecific effect on thyroid hormones. No significant change was documented for TT4 and TT3, and a significant increase in fT4 occurred only in the presurgical experiment. From these results the authors conclude that the thyroid movement documented may be correlated to the decreased binding capacity of thyroxine-binding globulins promoted by the increase in Te levels.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Pituitary-thyroid axis after bilateral orchiectomy in men.

The functional interaction between the testis and thyroid was evaluated in 13 patients affected by prostatic carcinoma before and after bilateral orchiectomy. Two different patterns of thyroid hormones were noted. Immediately after surgery, free thyroxine (T4) increased and total triiodothyronine (T3) decreased probably as a result of surgical stress at anesthesia. Later, free T4 levels decreased while total T4 and thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) were unchanged. Such changes may be due to qualitative changes in binding proteins.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone test for hypogonadic men.

Gonadotropin patterns before and after stimulation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) have been studied in 69 hypogonadic men of various types: patients with expansive hypothalamus--pituitary disorders before and after surgery, patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and patients with oligozoospermia or azoospermia who have primary partial or total testicular deficiency. Three characteristic gonadotropin patterns were found: (a) low basal values of LH and FSH with either absent or decreased and delayed responses; (b) normal basal values and pituitary responses above the normal range; or (c) high basal values and pituitary responses above the normal range. These gonadotropin patterns were correlated with disorders of the hypothalamus--pituitary--testis axis. The advantages and disadvantages of the GnRH test for the clinical evaluation of male hypogonadism are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

LH and FSH (basal values and pituitary responses to GnRH) in hyperthyroidism.

Gonadotropin behaviour (basal plasma values and pituitary responses to GnRH) in hyperthyroid patients was studied. LH values (both basal and pituitary responses) higher than the controls were documented. Thyroid hormones seem to modulate pituitary response to GnRH for LH only in hyperthyroid patients of both sexes. In order to explain the mechanism of the action of thyroid hormones, rather than the possibility of peripheral effect on binding capacity of the proteins for circulating steroids, a central interaction at medial eminence level is suggested.

Adult↗