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Biomedical subjects

A Kreze

Publications and source records attributed to A Kreze.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Primary aldosteronism in gravidity].

Endocrinology and obstetrics have one thing in common--diagnosis and treatment endocrine diseases in gravidity. These are modified by physiological changes in gravidity, often missing data and tests in normal condition and the influence of diagnosis and treatment on the pregnant female and fetus have also to be taken into consideration. If diagnosis of primary aldosteronism is suspected, suprimed plasmatic renin activity is determinant indicator (disregarding arterial hypertension, hypokaliaemia, hyperkaliuresis and proteinuria) as well as ultrasound diagnostics or adrenal gland diagnostics means magnetic resonance imaging. Aldosteron produced adenomas may by treated by adrenalectomy in the second trimester, late diagnosed adenoma and hyperplastic forms are treated by the administration of the respective medicaments.

Female↗

[From the history of endocrinology: reminiscence of the discovery of adrenocortical hormones].

In the article authors describe the milestones in history of discoveries of the adrenocortical hormones. Preparation of the adrenal extract cortine was the first experimental contribution. Cortine prolonged life of animals whose adrenals have been removed and had beneficial effects in patients with Addison disease (AD). It was mixture of compounds comprising carbon, hydrogen and oxygen that belong to the steroids. From those deoxycorticosterone had impact on mineral metabolism, substances that Kendall termed as compounds A, B, E, and F influenced metabolism of saccharides and proteins. In 1929 Dr. Hench had observed that the painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were relieved in a patient who developed jaundice and in 1931 he remarked favourable effects of pregnancy to the course of RA. He suggested that some agent (substance X) was present during jaundice and in pregnancy through that the symptoms of RA were relieved. In 1941 interest concerned to the compound A, however, this was almost ineffective in patients with AD. In 1948 compound E was successfully administered to patients with AD and RA for the first time. Concerning the relation between vitamin E Kendall and Hench gave compound E distinctive name cortisone. Consequently it was confirmed that compound F (hydrocortisone) is the final product of the adrenal cortex. Appreciating the work of the most significant groups was awarding the Nobel Prize to Edward Kendall, Tadeusz Reichstein and Philip Hench in 1950.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Insulin lispro improves postprandial glucose control in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Insulin lispro was compared with regular human insulin with respect to glycaemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus on intensive insulin treatment. Sixty-two patients (55 type 1; 7 type 2) from eight study centres in the Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic participated in a 4-month, open-label, randomized, crossover study. Patients administered insulin lispro immediately before meals or regular human insulin 30 min before meals. A test meal (220-400 kcal), based on local and individual dietary habits and consistent for each patient throughout the study was given at baseline and at the end of each treatment. At each test meal visit HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, 1-hour and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose levels were measured. The level of HbA1c (7.6% +/- 1.5% versus 7.4% +/- 1.5%), incidence of hypoglycaemia (41-66% of patients--versus 39-63%) and daily insulin dose (0.67 +/- 0.11 U/kg versus 0.65 +/- 0.11 U/kg) did not differ between treatment groups at endpoint (insulin lispro versus regular human insulin, respectively). Mean 2-hour postprandial blood glucose excursion for the insulin lispro group (0.0 +/- 3.7 mmol/L) was significantly lower (p = 0.035) when compared with the regular human insulin group (1.3 +/- 3.7 mmol/L) at endpoint. Therapy with insulin lispro was therefore associated with a significant improvement in postprandial blood glucose excursion control when compared with regular human insulin, without an increase in rate of hypoglycaemia.

Adult↗

Risk factors for glucose intolerance in active acromegaly.

In the present retrospective study we determined the frequency of glucose intolerance in active untreated acromegaly, and searched for risk factors possibly supporting the emergence of the diabetic condition. Among 43 patients, 8 (19%; 95% CI: 8-33%) had diabetes mellitus and 2 (5%; 1-16%) impaired glucose tolerance. No impaired fasting glycemia was demonstrable. The frequency of diabetes was on average 4.5 times higher than in the general Slovak population. Ten factors suspected to support progression to glucose intolerance were studied by comparing the frequency of glucose intolerance between patients with present and absent risk factors. A family history of diabetes and arterial hypertension proved to have a significant promoting effect (P<0.05, chi-square test). A significant association with female gender was demonstrated only after pooling our data with literature data. Concomitant prolactin hypersecretion had a nonsignificant promoting effect. In conclusion, the association of active untreated acromegaly with each of the three categories of glucose intolerance (including impaired fasting glycemia, not yet studied in this connection) was defined as a confidence interval, thus permitting a sound comparison with the findings of future studies. Besides a family history of diabetes, female gender and arterial hypertension were defined as additional, not yet described risk factors.

Acromegaly↗

[Adrenal gland incidentaloma].

Adrenal incidentaloma is an incidentally detected formation on examination of another cause such as visualization of the adrenal glands. From 1996 till December 1999 in the Endocrinological Institute in Lubochna 60 patients with adrenal incidentaloma were examined. In 75% afunctional tumours were involved. In 16.6% (10 patients) the authors recorded an initial impairment of cortisol secretion, in 3.2% (2 patients) impaired aldosterone secretion, similarly in 3.2% (2 patients) a pheochromocytoma and in one patient (1.6%) impaired secretion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone. Functionally active incidentalomas accounted for one quarter of the investigated group.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗

Diabetes mellitus in primary aldosteronism.

BACKGROUND: Information concerning diabetes mellitus associated with primary aldosteronism is scarce. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in its two main pathogenetic forms of primary aldosteronism and to evaluate its association with several clinical variables. PATIENTS: Fifty in-patients (31 female and 19 male, aged 16-66), diagnosed during the years 1980-1998 as aldosterone producing adenoma (n = 26) or as idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (n = 24). METHODS: Morning fasting plasma glucose was measured by glucoso oxidase method in all patients. In the presence of higher values, confirmatory measurements were performed on the next day. The results were evaluated retrospectively by the diagnostic criteria of American Diabetes Association, 1997. Statistical significance of the association between diabetes mellitus and clinical variables was evaluated by chi-square test. RESULTS: Diabetes mellitus was ascertained in 6 patients out of 50 (12%; interval of 95% confidence 5-24%). Diabetes was accompanied significantly more often with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (10-47%) than with aldosterone producing adenoma (0-13%). Patients with the family history of diabetes suffered more often (9-76%) from this disease than those without the history (1-19%). Obesity, longer (> 5 years) duration of hypertension and hypokalaemia did not affect the occurrence of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of diabetes in primary aldosteronism was connected significantly with its idiopathic subtype and positive family history of diabetes. (Tab. 2, Ref. 11.)

Adolescent↗

[Dehydrdoepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosteron-sulfate and insulin in acute myocardial infarct].

The authors discuss the relationship between dehydroepiandsoterone, its sulphate conjugate and insulin and ischaemic heart disease in patients with acute myocardial infarction. In the examined group of patients they found lower values of dehydroepiandosterone and its sulphate in men, lower values of dehydroepiandosterone in women as compared with mean values with regard to age and a close inverse correlation of insulin and dehydroepiandrosterone and insulin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate. Whether dehydroepiandosterone is the "missing link" of hyperinsulinaemia and arterosclerosis is so far only a theoretical issue.

Adult↗

[Epidemiological profile of thyroid volume and disorders in Slovakia].

UNLABELLED: After 45 years of successful iodine prophylaxis a total of 6324 subject aged 7 to 70 years from East (72.0%), Central (16.2%) and West Slovakia (11.8%) were examined. The thyroid volume (ThV) by ultrasound was examined in a total of 6045 subjects. Serum level of thyrotropin (TSH) was estimated in 1919 (30.3%) and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (anti-TPO) in 2589 (40.9%) subjects. Iodine was estimated in 1983 (31.3%) spot urine samples. The median and 75th percentile of ThV were increasing (respectively) from 3.9 and 5.2 ml (10 yr), 8.2 and 10.2 ml (17 yr), 12.4 and 16.3 ml (31-40 yr) up to 14.1 and 19.9 ml (61-70 yr). The frequency of ultrasound hypoechogenicity as an early sign of autoimmune thyroiditis increased from 3.9% (28/709; 10 yr), 16.3% (66/403; 21-40 yr) and 30.3% (205/665; 41-60 yr) up to 51.0% (48/94; 61-70 yr). Positive anti-TPO level as an other sign of autoimmune thyroiditis was found in 1.6% (11/683; 7-13 yr), 7.3% (47/644; 17-30 yr) and 20.4% (257/1262; 31-70 yr). In the adults 19.0% (268/1409) positive anti-TPO were found. Among 1367 adults 6.2% (N = 85) of TSH levels were higher than 4.0 mU/l and 7.5% (N = 103) were lower than 0.2 mU/l. Among 1504 adults a total of 93 (6.1%) of nodules larger than 10 mm in diameter was found (14 in males and 75 in females). In this study the nature of nodules remained unidentified, since all subjects were referred to additional examinations. Malignant nodules were suspected in 3 females with high serum thyroglobulin level and in one additional female with occasionally found very large nodule. The estimation of urinary iodine showed a majority of values in optimal range (> 100-200 microg/l). CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid volume in about 75% examined subjects of all age groups may be considered as relatively small which is apparently due to 45 years of effective iodine prophylaxis. In spite of that the volume of remaining about 25% thyroids were apparently increased which may be presubambly explained by the effect of mainly genetic, but also environmental factors.

Adolescent↗

Primary aldosteronism caused by aldosterone-producing adenoma in pregnancy--complicated by EPH gestosis.

Pregnancy in conjunction with primary aldosteronism is an unusual occurrence. We report a 28-year-old woman who presented with mild hypertension and hypokalemia as manifestations of primary aldosteronism caused by an aldosterone-producing adenoma in the left adrenal gland during pregnancy. Although the diagnosis was straightforward, the patient refused to undergo the proposed operation during the second trimester of her pregnancy. She was not admitted to hospital until she developed EPH gestosis in the 27th week of gestation, which had an unfavourable outcome for the infant who died nine days after delivery. The patient underwent a laparoscopic adrenalectomy which resulted in normalization of blood pressure and blood potassium levels. In cases of aldosterone-producing adenoma, surgery in the second trimester is the most appropriate option to avoid a poor obstetric outcome.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗

Daily blood pressure profile in Cushing's syndrome before and after surgery.

No significant difference has been demonstrated in the altered circadian blood pressure pattern between the pituitary-dependent and adrenal forms of Cushing's syndrome before surgery. The effect of therapy, however, proved to be different. The mesor was normalized in the pituitary-dependent Cushing's syndrome more conspicuously for systolic than for diastolic blood pressure. In Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal adenoma, systolic and diastolic blood pressure mesors have been even significantly "overnormalized" after treatment, being 11 to 27 and 2 to 13 mmHg (95% confidence) lower than corresponding mesors in controls. There was no difference between forms in the effect of treatment on blood pressure amplitudes, which remained significantly lower than in controls. Finally, acrophase patterns were partly normalized after treatment of the pituitary-dependent form only for diastolic blood pressure, while both systolic and diastolic blood pressure acrophases were normalized in the treated adrenal form. In conclusion, complete normalization of the pattern of daily blood pressure profile has not been achieved in either form of the syndrome. This may be one of the reasons for the reduced long-term survival after surgical cure of hypercortisolism, than expected.

Adolescent↗

[Occurrence of primary aldosteronism in a group of ambulatory hypertensive patients].

Findings pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism are rapidly expanding. In the present work the authors focused attention on the clinical application of some progressive methods. They examined a group of 115 ambulatory patients with arterial hypertension, not suspected of secondary arterial hypertension, in the course of one year. As a screening method of primary aldosteronism they selected the aldosterone renin ratio (ARR). Using this method the authors diagnosed 125 cases of primary aldosteronism, i.e. a 13% prevalence in the examined group. Only in one instance they detected an adenoma by computed tomography (CT), in the remaining patients, i.e. four times, the adenoma was verified by selective catheterization of adrenal veins and assessment of aldosterone and cortisol. The authors did not confirm a more accurate localization of the adenoma by the aldosterone/cortisol ration than when assessing aldosterone only. In two patients adrenalectomy was performed by laparoscopy and this surgical technique, as regards adrenal glands, was implemented for the first time in Slovakia in our department. It has certain advantages over classical adrenalectomy.

Humans↗

Increased thyroid volume and prevalence of thyroid disorders in an area heavily polluted by polychlorinated biphenyls.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether long-term exposure to heavy environmental pollution with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) could result in impairment of thyroid status as evaluated by an epidemiological field survey. METHODS: Thyroid volume (ThV) was measured by ultrasound in 238 employees of a factory (EMP) which previously produced PCBs and 454 adolescents from the surrounding area polluted by PCBs. Controls (C) were 572 adults and 965 adolescents from much less polluted areas. In the 238 EMP and various numbers (shown in parentheses) of adult C the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (n = 498), thyroxine (n = 498), thyroglobulin (n = 278) and thyroid antibodies (anti-peroxidase (TPO Ab), n= 517; anti-thyroglobulin (Tg Ab), n=455; anti-TSH receptor (TSHR Ab), n=238) were estimated in serum, while only TSH and TPO Ab were measured in 269 and 171 adolescents from polluted and control areas respectively. In several subjects in whom thyroid disease was suspected, total tri-iodothyronine or free thyroxine and tri-iodothyronine were measured. In a total of 362 adults and adolescents the urinary iodine was estimated. RESULTS: Using the Mann-Whitney test, ThV in EMP (mean+/-S.E. = 18.85+/-0.69 ml, median= 17.3 ml, upper quartile=22.9 ml, n=238) was significantly higher (P< 0.001) than that in C (13.47+/-0.48 ml, 11.5 ml, 15.3 ml, n = 486 respectively). Similarly, ThV in adolescents from the polluted area (9.37+/-0.17 ml, 8.9 ml, 11.0 ml, n = 454 respectively) was significantly higher (P< 0.001) than that in C (8.07+/-0.10 ml, 7.6 ml, 9.6 ml, n = 965 respectively). In adults, a significantly increased prevalence of TPO Ab (P<0.05) was found (using the chi-square test) in EMP women of all ages (54/190) vs C women (70/282), in EMP women aged 31-50 years (40/117 vs 70/282 respectively) and those aged 41- 50 years (28/77 vs 54/215 respectively). Compared with C, there was also a higher prevalence of Tg Ab in EMP women aged 31-60 years (36/169 vs 50/342 respectively) and of TSHR Ab (P< 0.001) in the group of EMP men and women (25/238) vs sex- and age-matched C (6/238). No difference between EMP and C was found in the level of thyroxine (mean+/-S.D = 116.1+/-31.2 nmol/l, n = 238 vs 112.2+/-37.0 nmol/l, n = 460 respectively), TSH in the range 0.1-4.5 mU/l(1.56+/-0.86 mUl/l, n = 219 vs 1.51+/-0.84 mU/l, n = 460 respectively), prevalence of TSH >4.5 (14/238 vs 28/498 respectively) and <0.1 mU/l(5/238 vs 10/498 respectively). The prevalence of individuals without any defined clinical or laboratory signs of thyroid disorders among EMP who had worked in the factory for 21-35 years (43/128, 33.6%) was significantly lower than that in twice as many matched C (118/256, 46.1%, P< 0.025) or in EMP who had worked for only 11-20 years (36/73, 49.3%, P< 0.05). In adolescents, no difference was found in the prevalence of TPO Ab or TSH >4.5 mU/l between the polluted (17/269, 6.3%, and 2/243, 0.8% respectively) and C areas (15/171, 8.5% and 4/140, 2.8% respectively). The median values of urinary iodine were in the optimal range (microg per dl/number of cases) and about the same in polluted (12.6/90 and 11.4/55) and C areas (14.1/80, 13.2/82 and 13.4/55). CONCLUSIONS: Since iodine intake in Slovakia is considered sufficient as a result of 45 years of well-monitored iodine prophylaxis, the increased ThVand prevalence of thyroid disorders in the polluted areas presumably results from long-term exposure to toxic substances rather than from a difference in life-long iodine intake. The increased prevalence of some thyroid antibodies may be related to the known immunomodulatory effects of PCBs.

Adolescent↗

[Initial experience with laparoscopic adrenalectomy].

We present the first experience with laparoscopic adrenalectomy, which was in Slovakia introduced to the surgical practice on March 3, 1996. We analyse first seven patients who underwent completed laparoscopic adrenalectomy (five leftsided, two right-sided). Four patients had cortex adenoma (clinically 2 incidentalomas and 2 Cishing syndroma), three patients had cortex hyperplasia (clinically Conn syndroma). Average duration of operation was 120 minutes, there were no postoperative complications. Average postoperative hospital stay was 5 days. Our initial experiences are comparable with that of surgical departments which has more than two-years experiences. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a perfect method for the small adrenal tumors and it is better than traditional transabdominal approach.

Adrenalectomy↗

[The polycystic ovary syndrome and insulin resistance].

The insulin resistance syndrome and the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) appear to have some following coincidences: the existence of subclinical acanthosis nigricans in PCOS hyperinsulinemic women, correlation of insulin levels and free testosterone, insulin-like growth factor I binding protein (IGFIBP), and sex-hormone binding globulin. Insulin and IGFI act synergically with luteinizing hormone increasing the activity of cytochrome P450c17 and its enzymatic activity in the adrenals. The decrease in IGFI level and IGFI receptors in the ovarian granulosa cells reduce the steroids aromatisation. The increased expression of IGFI receptors in the theca cells favours the androgens' synthesis. Long-term insulin therapy results in an increase in ovary volume and the blood androgens levels. The deterioration of insulin resistance in PSOC women progresses also by the reduction of type I of skeletal muscle fibres which are sensitive to insulin, and the increase of type II fibres which are resistant to insulin in hyperandrogenemia. Testosterone deteriorates the skeletal as well as hepatic insulin sensitivity by both its facilitating effect on lipolysis and the increase of free fatty acids. Abdominal obesity seen in PCOS and insulin resistance is composed by adipocytes with glucocorticoid receptors, which after cortisol stimulation activate the lipoprotein lipase and fat accumulation. Gynoid obesity with the preferential aromatisation of steroids is not evolved because of the low estrogens and progesterone levels in PCOS. Low progesterone levels (with anticortisol effect) support the development of abdominal obesity. Ultimately, the early peak of insulin secretion (4-8 min) in PCOS is higher. This fact should testify a certain diabetic disposition. (Ref. 37.)

Female↗

[Problems posed by asymptomatic pheochromocytoma and malignant tumors of the adrenal medulla].

The authors analyse a group of 38 patients with a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma, in particular the topics of atypical symptomatology and malignancy. Three patients did not suffer from any subjective symptoms or other signs of pheochromocytoma ("incidentalomas"). Another three patients, although having giant tumours, only complained of atypical symptoms. Signs suspicious of malignancy were detected in 6 out of 38 patients. The authors recommend a practical approach to modern diagnostic and imaging tools for early primary diagnosis and for the early diagnosis of local recurrence and distant metastases.

Adolescent↗

Tumours of the adrenal cortex.

The authors report their experience of 34 benign and 17 malignant tumours of the adrenal cortex. Both occurred more frequently in women (79.4% of cortical adenomas and 70.6% of adrenocortical carcinomas). Moreover, females were significantly younger (average age: adenomas: females 44.9 years and males 54.4 years, adrenocortical carcinomas: females 34.1 years and males 58.3 years). Some tumours presented in the form of increased hormone production, while others were hormonally inactive and did not cause clinical signs until later. Pain was the first symptom in the cases of malignant adrenocortical tumours. Adenomas occurred as frequently twice in the left adrenal gland (24 versus 12), whereas carcinomas were more than twice are frequent on the right (10 versus 7). Ultrasonography and CT were appropriate and fully sufficient methods for the diagnosis of adrenal tumours. Arteriography was valuable in the differential diagnosis of large upper abdominal masses when the organ of origin could not be identified by CT and for determination of anatomic conditions and subsequent surgical tactics. For small tumours of the adrenal cortex, the classic lumbar approach through the bed of the resected eleventh rib is adequate. For larger tumours, extended lumbotomy, laparotomy or thoracotomy is necessary.

Adolescent↗

[Laboratory monitoring of therapy in Addison's disease].

UNLABELLED: Views on the usefulness of monitoring of substitution therapy in Addison's disease by hormonal laboratory indicators are controversial. The authors analysed the problem therefore in a group of 20 of their own patients. It was revealed that the adequacy of substitution of the cortisol deficiency can be very readily evaluated by diurnal profiles of cortisolaemia. The values of plasma ACTH provided less information, but were not unreliable. Assessment of free urinary cortisol did not prove useful. The adequacy of substitution of aldosterone deficiency reflected sensitively the plasma renin activity. CONCLUSIONS: monitoring by hormonal indicators is useful, basic means are the diurnal profile of cortisolaemia and the plasma renin activity.

Addison Disease↗