Endocrinology advances

BACKGROUND: Hypothyroidism, a prevalent endocrine disorder, carries significant implications for maternal and infant health, especially in the context of maternal hypothyroidism. Despite a gradual surge in recent research, achieving a comprehensive understanding of the current state, focal points, and developmental trends in this field remains challenging. Clarifying these aspects and advancing research could notably enhance maternal-infant health outcomes. Therefore, this study employs bibliometric methods to systematically scrutinize maternal hypothyroidism research, serving as a reference for further investigations...

There has been a major increase in Type 2 diabetes and obesity in many countries, and this will lead to a global public health crisis, which not only impacts on the quality of life of individuals well but also places a substantial burden on healthcare systems and economies. Obesity is linked to not only to type 2 diabetes but also cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and certain cancers, also resulting in increased medical costs and diminished quality of life. A number of studies have linked changes in gut in obesity development...

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is rapidly increasing, currently affecting approximately 25% of the global population. Liver fibrosis represents a crucial stage in the development of MAFLD, with advanced liver fibrosis elevating the risks of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Simple serum markers are less effective in diagnosing liver fibrosis compared to more complex markers. However, imaging techniques like transient elastography face limitations in clinical application due to equipment and technical constraints...

BACKGROUND: There is debate about ultrasonography screening for thyroid cancer and its cost-effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of early screening (ES) versus symptomatic detection (SD) for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in Korea. METHODS: A Markov decision analysis model was constructed to compare the cost-effectiveness of ES and SD. The model considered direct medical costs, health outcomes, and different diagnostic and treatment pathways...

CONTEXT: With advancements in long-term survival after pancreatectomy, post-pancreatectomy diabetes has become a concern, and the risk factors are not established yet. Pancreatic islets are susceptible to ischemic damage, though there is a lack of clinical evidence regarding glycemic deterioration. OBJECTIVE: To investigate association between hypotension during pancreatectomy and development of post-pancreatectomy diabetes. DESIGN: In this retrospective, longitudinal cohort study, we enrolled patients without diabetes who underwent distal pancreatectomy or pancreaticoduodenectomy between January 2005 and December 2018, from two referral hospitals in Korea...

The past few decades have witnessed increasing research clarifying the role of endocrine signaling in the regulation of aging in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Studies using the model organism fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster have largely advanced our understanding of evolutionarily conserved mechanisms in the endocrinology of aging and anti-aging. Mutations in single genes involved in endocrine signaling modify lifespan, as do alterations of endocrine signaling in a tissue- or cell-specific manner, highlighting a central role of endocrine signaling in coordinating the crosstalk between tissues and cells to determine the pace of aging...

The endocrine and neuroendocrine systems exert powerful and broad control over the regulation of homeostasis in animals. Secreted hormones play significant roles in lifetime-related events such as germ cell development, sexual maturation, development, metamorphosis, aging, feeding, and energy metabolism. Additionally, hormones, particularly sex steroid hormones, are involved in reproduction, including sexual behavior and dimorphism. Changes in body color protect against external enemies, and circadian rhythms direct physiology and behaviors in synchrony with light and dark cycles...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review critically examines interconnected health domains like gut microbiome, bone health, interleukins, chronic periodontitis, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), offering insights into fundamental mechanisms and clinical implications, contributing significantly to healthcare and biomedical research. RECENT FINDINGS: This review explores the relationship between gut microbiome and bone health, a growing area of study. It provides insights into skeletal integrity and potential therapeutic avenues...

BACKGROUND: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is characterized by reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria, which play a pivotal role in both diagnosing and determining the disease's progression. This study aimed to assess the trajectory of these markers concerning age in individuals with DKD and identify predictive factors for the decline in eGFR decline, variation in albuminuria, mortality, and progression to renal replacement therapy (RRT). DESIGN: This retrospective cohort encompassed patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), divided into two age categories: <75 and ⩾75 years old...

This review discusses the topic of synthetic neuroactive steroids. A brief introduction to the mode of action of neuroactive steroids is followed by a short overview of the best-known synthetic neuroactive steroids used in clinical practice and the reasons for their withdrawal from the market. The paper examines various aspects of 6 specific synthetic neuroactive steroids which either have been approved for treatment or are currently in advanced phases of clinical trials, and lists their indications, current experience, and undesirable adverse effects...

BACKGROUND: The effect of surgery on advanced prostate cancer (PC) is unclear and predictive model for postoperative survival is lacking yet. METHODS: We investigate the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, to collect clinical features of advanced PC patients. According to clinical experience, age, race, grade, pathology, T, N, M, stage, size, regional nodes positive, regional nodes examined, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, history of malignancy, clinical Gleason score (composed of needle core biopsy or transurethral resection of the prostate specimens), pathological Gleason score (composed of prostatectomy specimens) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are the potential predictive variables...

In the past 2 decades, health care has witnessed technological and pharmacological advancements leading to innovations in diabetes management. Despite these advances, published guidelines, and treatment algorithms, most people with diabetes remain above glycemic targets. Thus, the authors designed a novel care model aimed at improving several causative factors, including therapeutic inertia, limited access to endocrinology and cardiovascular specialists, time constraints, and complexity in incorporating clinical practice guidelines...

In the quest to combat insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), allogenic pancreatic islet cell therapy sourced from deceased donors represents a significant therapeutic advance. However, the applicability of this approach is hampered by donor scarcity and the demand for sustained immunosuppression. Human induced pluripotent stem cells are a game-changing resource for generating synthetic functional insulin-producing β cells. In addition, novel methodologies allow the direct expansion of pancreatic progenitors and mature β cells, thereby circumventing prolonged differentiation...

Noonan syndrome (NS) is caused by pathogenic variants in genes encoding components of the RAS/MAPK pathway and presents with a number of symptoms, including characteristic facial features, congenital heart diseases, and short stature. Advances in genetic analyses have contributed to the identification of pathogenic genes in NS as well as genotype-phenotype relationships; however, updated evidence for the detection rate of pathogenic genes with the inclusion of newly identified genes is lacking in Japan. Accordingly, we examined the genetic background of 116 individuals clinically diagnosed with NS and the frequency of short stature...

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the information needs related to insulin therapy in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) from the children's perspectives as well as their caregivers. DESIGN: Qualitative study; semistructured interviews. To identify emerging themes relating to information needs, open coding and thematic analysis were employed. SETTING: Participants were recruited from a tertiary care children's hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and a specialist hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Asprosin was discovered as a new endocrine hormone originating from fibrillin-1 cleavage that plays a crucial role in various metabolic-related diseases, such as obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this review is to describe the recent advancements of asprosin. METHOD: Narrative review. RESULT: This comprehensive review explores its tissue-specific functions, focusing on white adipose tissue, liver, hypothalamus, testis, ovary, heart, pancreas, skeletal muscle, and kidney...

OBJECTIVE: Visceral adipose tissue assessment holds significant importance in hypertension prevention. This study aimed to explore the association between the Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat (METS-VF), a new indicator based on laboratory and anthropometry measures, and hypertension risk and to further investigate the association between the METS-VF and the risk of hypertension in different ethnic groups. METHODS: In this study, a total of 9,280 people from 48 townships in 12 districts (counties) of Guizhou Province were selected for the survey using a multistage cluster random sampling method, and 5,127 cases were finally included in the analysis after excluding those with missing relevant data, losing visits, dying at follow-up, those who suffered from hypertension at baseline, and those whose information on the outcome of hypertension was not clear...

BACKGROUND: The objective of our study was to investigate the risk factors for a decrease in ovarian reserve in patients with endometriomas after standardized laparoscopic procedures and evaluation to provide corresponding clinical guidance for patients with fertility requirements. METHODS: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels and other clinical data from 233 patients with endometriomas and 57 patients with non-endometrioma ovarian cysts admitted to the Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2018 and September 2023 were prospectively analysed...

Blood glucose monitoring constitutes a pivotal element in the clinical management of Type 1 diabetes (T1D), a globally escalating metabolic disorder. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices have demonstrated efficacy in optimizing glycemic control, mitigating adverse health outcomes, and augmenting the overall quality of life for individuals afflicted with T1D. Recent progress in the field encompasses the refinement of electrochemical sensors, which enhances the effectiveness of blood glucose monitoring...

Insulin is an essential drug in the treatment of diabetes, often necessary for managing hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It should be considered in cases of severe hyperglycemia requiring hospitalization, after the failure of other treatments, in advanced chronic kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, post-transplant diabetes, or during pregnancy. Moreover, in specific patient subgroups, early initiation of insulin is crucial for hyperglycemia control and prevention of chronic complications. Clinical guidelines recommend initiating insulin when other treatments fail, although there are barriers that may delay its initiation...