Horm Res
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Review Case Reports
Hypokalemia and alkalosis in adipsic hypernatremia are not associated with hyperaldosteronism.
Idiopathic adipsic hypernatremia (AH) is a rare disorder associated with hypokalemia and alkalosis. Hypokalemic alkalosis has been presumed to be secondary to hyperaldosteronism. We evaluated plasma renin activity, serum aldosterone, serum and urine electrolytes in a 17-year-old patient with AH on several occasions. ⋯ Among the compiled cases serum K was inversely correlated with serum Na (r = -0.73, p < 0.002, n = 15). Hypokalemia and alkalosis occurring in AH are not associated with secondary hyperaldosteronism. Patients with AH may have chronic renal losses of potassium leading to hypokalemia and alkalosis.
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The efficacy of transsphenoidal surgery in the treatment of patients with acromegaly is largely dependent on tumour size. A reduction in pituitary tumour volume by medical therapy might therefore improve subsequent surgical cure rates. This study prospectively determined the effects of the depot somatostatin analogue octreotide LAR on pituitary tumour size, GH and IGF-I levels and clinical symptoms in a cohort of previously untreated patients with acromegaly. ⋯ A single test dose of subcutaneous octreotide may be useful in predicting the subsequent efficacy of octreotide LAR. Octreotide LAR results in significant shrinkage of pituitary tumours of newly diagnosed patients with acromegaly. Whether its administration to such patients for 6-12 months can improve the efficacy of subsequent transsphenoidal surgery will require further study.
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We examined the effect of vitamin D supplementation on bone growth in young rats fed a normal or low calcium diet. ⋯ This study shows the differential effects of vitamin D supplementation on born growth in young rats fed a normal or low calcium diet.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Final height data, body composition and glucose metabolism in growth hormone-treated short children born small for gestational age.
Low birth weight has been associated with impaired insulin sensitivity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and cardiovascular disease in later life. GH therapy is known to increase fasting and postprandial insulin levels. For this reason concern has been expressed regarding the possible detrimental effects of GH therapy in children born small for gestational age (SGA). ⋯ However, as has been reported in other patient groups, GH induced higher fasting and glucose-stimulated insulin levels, indicating insulin resistance. After discontinuation of GH serum insulin levels returned to normal age-reference levels. Short SGA children have a reduction in bone mineral content and lean body mass when compared with healthy controls, which significantly improved (normalized) with GH therapy at a dose of 1 mg/m(2) per day.
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Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is associated with biochemical hypoparathyroidism (i.e. hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia) due to parathyroid hormone (PTH) resistance rather than to PTH deficiency. Patients with PHP type 1a have a generalized form of hormone resistance plus a constellation of developmental defects termed Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO). ⋯ These various forms of PHP are due to defects in the GNAS1 gene that lead to decreased expression or activity of the alpha-subunit of the stimulatory G protein (G(s)alpha). Tissue-specific genomic imprinting of GNAS1 accounts for the variable phenotypes of patients with GNAS1 defects.