Serum ghrelin levels and disturbances of the lipid profile in patients with acromegaly.

UNLABELLED: It is unknown if altered ghrelin secretion might contribute to the development of metabolic complications in acromegaly. The AIM OF THE STUDY was to: 1) assess if serum concentrations of total and acylated ghrelin in patients with acromegaly differ in the presence of various metabolic complications (hypercholesterolemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglicemia). 2) assess the correlations between concentrations of ghrelin and concentrations of GH, IGF-1, cholesterol, insulin and glucose in patients with acromegaly. MATERIALS: 24 patients with previously diagnosed acromegaly (11 subjects with active and 13 subjects with inactive disease) and 12 healthy subjects. 23 subjects were treated in the past with neurosurgery, 3 subjects with radiotherapy. 7 patients were receiving octreotide LAR at the time of the study. METHODS: In all studied subjects the concentrations of total ghrelin, acylated ghrelin, GH, IGF-1, insulin, glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglicerydes, were measured. RESULTS: The concentrations of total and acylated ghrelin did not significantly differ between patients with active and inactive disease. The mean concentrations of total and acylated ghrelin were significantly higher in acromegalic patients who presented with hypercholesterolemia compared with patients with normocholesterolemia. In patients with hypercholesterolemia the ratio of acylated/total ghrelin was 16%. In patients with active acromegaly there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the concentration of total ghrelin and the concentration of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. There was also a positive correlation between the concentration of acylated ghrelin and LDL cholesterol (without statistical significance). In patients with inactive acromegaly there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the concentration of acylated ghrelin and the concentration of triglycerides and a positive correlation between total ghrelin and triglycerides, but statistically insignificant. There were no differences in ghrelin levels depending on the insulin and glucose concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Some metabolic complications of the disease might result not only from GH hypersecretion but also from altered ghrelin secretion.

Circulating leptin levels are not influenced by thyroid status in hypothyroid and euthyroid women.

OBJECTIVES: Leptin regulates body weight by suppressing food intake and increasing energy expenditure. Alterations in thyroid hormone levels are also associated with changes in body weight but the effect of thyroid hormone deficiency on serum leptin in humans is unclear. DESIGN AND METHODS: The aim of this study was to measure leptin levels and to investigate their associations with thyroid hormones in 22 women with severe hypothyroidism after total thyroidectomy, and in a group of 22 healthy euthyroid control female subjects matched for age and body mass index (BMI). Their plasma leptin, free thyroxine, triiodothyronine and TSH were measured. RESULTS: Leptin levels in subjects and controls were (pg/mL) 18761.64+/-16973.96 and 18729.19+/-18014.05, respectively, p=0.9; leptin did not correlate with free thyroxine, triiodothyroinine and TSH: r=0.1039 and p=0.6453, r=0.0113 and p=0.9602, and r=-0.0525 and p=0.8165 for leptin and FT4, leptin and FT3, and leptin and TSH, respectively in subjects; r=-0.00056 and p=0.9980, r=0.248727 and p=0.2643, and r=-0.046919 and p=0.8357 for leptin and FT4, leptin and FT3, and leptin and TSH, respectively in controls. Leptin levels did not differ between subjects and controls and they did not correlate with thyroid hormones. CONCLUSIONS: Leptin levels are not influenced by hypothyroidism and do not correlate with thyroid hormones in euthyroid and hypothyroid women.

[Iodine prophylaxis in children population on the Wielkopolska Region area from year 1992 to 2005]. / Profilaktyka jodowa u dzieci w Regionie Wielkopolskim w latach 1992-2005.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate of efficiency of iodine prophylaxis based on obligatory model of salt iodization. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 1444 children from the rural and urban area, with the proportional sex and age (8-12 years) distribution--432 children in 1992 (before salt iodization), 558 children in 2000 and 454 children in 2005 (during salt iodization from 1996). RESULTS: The prevalence of goiter detected in children population in 1992 was 40% (recount by current criteria), in 2005 was reduced to 6% (p < 0.01). Parallel, median of urinary iodine concentration increased from 44 microg/l in 1992 to 107 microg/l (p < 0.01) in 2005. The increase of incidence of autoimmunological thyroid diseases is observed, especially chronic thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS: The study proves high efficiency of iodine prophylaxis in Wielkopolska Region, but it is still the area with mild iodine deficiency.