Journal of endocrinological investigation
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J. Endocrinol. Invest. · Feb 2009
Blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with Cushing's syndrome: increased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, decreased tissue factor pathway inhibitor, and unchanged thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor levels.
Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with an increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Chronic endogenous and exogenous hypercortisolism frequently induce a hypercoagulable and thrombotic condition. Little is known about hemostatic features of patients with CS. To our knowledge, plasma tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) levels in these patients have not been investigated. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate the markers of endogenous coagulation/fibrinolysis, including TFPI and TAFI, and to investigate the relationships between cortisol and these hemostatic parameters and serum lipid profile in patients with CS. ⋯ In conclusion, we found some important differences in the hemostatic parameters between the patients with CS and healthy controls. Increased platelet count, fibrinogen, PAI-1, and decreased TFPI levels in these patients represent a potential hypercoagulable and hypofibrinolytic state, which might augment the risk for atherosclerotic and atherothrombotic complications. This condition may contribute to the excess of mortality due to cardiovascular disease seen in patients with CS.
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J. Endocrinol. Invest. · Sep 2008
Catch-up growth in body mass index is associated neither with reduced insulin sensitivity nor with altered lipid profile in children born small for gestational age.
Low birth weight is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Persons who have coronary events as adults tend to have been small at birth and thin at 2 yr of age, after which they tended to increase their body mass index (BMI). Our aim was to determine whether BMI gain is associated to alterations in insulin sensitivity and/or lipid profile in children born small for gestational age (SGA). ⋯ Our findings do not support the hypothesis of early alterations in insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism in CGB-SGA subjects during childhood provided that BMI remains within the normal range. Finally, the finding of reduced HDL-cholesterol levels in CGH-SGA children suggests detrimental metabolic effects of the height gain.
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J. Endocrinol. Invest. · Jun 2008
Biography Historical ArticleEndocrinology and art. Queen Ankhesenammon with goiter.
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J. Endocrinol. Invest. · Dec 2007
Controlled Clinical TrialInduction of vascular endothelial growth factor release by transcutaneous frequency modulated neural stimulation in diabetic polyneuropathy.
Pharmacological treatment for diabetic polyneuropathy (DP) has shown limited benefit; frequency-modulated electrical stimulation (FREMS) has shown positive results in pain control and nerve conduction velocity in DP. ⋯ VEGF release during FREMS may help explain the positive effects on nerve conduction velocity in DP, possibly mediated by favorable effects on vasa nervorum microangiopathy.