LIST DO CZYTELNIKÓW/LETTER TO READERS
Dear Colleagues,
Dear Readers,
In a festive mood along with coming spring, which brings us optimism and hope of new life, we give you another issue of “Endokrynologia Polska”.
Not many months must pass until the biggest scientific event of Polish endocrinology this year, which is the 21st Congress of the Polish Society of Endocrinology in the International Congress Center in Katowice on 15–17 September 2016. The Congress shall be preceded by the 7th National Scientific Conference “Controversy in Neuroendocrinal Tumors”, which will take place at the same venue on 14 September 2016 and we would like to already invite you to this event.
The Original paper part begins with an article from Silesian centers on the mechanism responsible for pituitary adenoma pathogenesis, which has not been clearly described yet and shows discrepancies in various types of pituitary gland cells. The results of the studies are sometimes surprising; for example, the highest expression of the PRL gene was observed in somatotropin adenomas, and prolactin adenomas were at the third place. The paper also indicates that the QPCR technique in gene expression analysis is not sufficient for proper classification of particular subtypes of pituitary adenomas.
In the second paper, the authors show a result of a USG examination conducted in patients with nodular goiter qualified for thyroidectomy. The protocol of the examination encompassed B-mode with use of spatially complex imaging and tissue harmonic imaging, microcalcification mapping, vessel mapping and elastography of relative strains (qualitative and semiquantitative evaluation), and the conclusions from the study may worry, e.g. elastography supporters.
Authors of another paper specified efficiency of methylprednisolone composed of pulses and surgical decompression of eye sockets, fulfilling an ambitious goal which is regaining full visual acuity in patients with optic nerve neuropathy in the course of Graves’ orbitopathy.
According to other researchers, the evaluation of concentrations of OPG, RANKL and bone turnover markers in plasma of female patients treated with strontium ran elate and ibandronian due to postmenopausal osteoporosis may have not only a pathophysiological but also practical aspect – it may be considered a parameter in monitoring and predicting the effect of treatment with strontium ranelate.
The second paper on osteoporosis in this issue, this time in edipemiological aspect, is not very optimistic, although it confirms a phenomenon which we are already aware of – falls are common in women in their postmenopausal period and their occurrence is affected by age, place of residence and some diseases.
It is probable that both statins and fibrates decrease excretion of proinflammatory cytokines. In one of the papers, it has been proven that the influence of fibrates on excretory function of monocytes changes with patients’ age, type 2 diabetes and atherogenic dyslipidemia.
In another paper, it has been proven that in patients with LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults), there is a more frequent occurrence of antibodies directed towards thyroid antigens and they coexist with subclinical hypothyroidism. Juxtaposition of endocrine diseases of autoimmunological background in multigland clusters carries an important clinical impact. Latent autoimmune diabetes of adults is characterized by the presence of antibodies directed towards antigens of pancreatic islets in patients with clinical presentation of type 2 diabetes.
What is interesting is a description of experiences of one of Romanian centers, associated with partial or full removal of parathyroids performed with then autotransplant in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.
A fascinating Review Article included in this issue of EP comes from the Oncology Institute from Gliwice, a center which does not have to be recommended, and it concerns most important murine models of the most frequent thyroid cancer: the papillary cancer. Most attention has been paid to models inducted with BRALV600E mutation due to their worse prognosis.
A Case Study, this time from Warsaw Children Endocrinology Center, describes the first in Poland case of a rare ROHHAD syndrome, characterized by hypothalamus and autonomic nervous system impairment, as well as quickly developing obesity and ventilation disorders.
In the Postgraduate education part, we present an anticipated consensus under the auspices of the Polish Society of Endocrinology, concerning management of accidentally discovered adrenal tumor in adults, so needed by all practising endorcinologists, general practitioners, cardiologists and hypertensiologists.
We hope that such an abundance of endocrine topics will become a source of scientific inspiration while preparing abstracts of your papers for our 21st Congress of the Polish Society of Endocrinology (deadline – 31 March).
Spring regards.
On behalf of the Editorial Board
Beata Kos Kudła