A malignant cause of hypoglycaemia: a metastatic insulin-secreting pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Most cases of insulinomas are benign. We report a case of a malignant form of insulinoma. A 46-year-old man presented with behavioural changes associated with hypoglycaemia. Diagnostic work up revealed high serum insulin, high C-peptide and low glucose levels, compatible with endogenous hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia. CT imaging of the abdomen revealed a pancreatic head mass and multiple liver masses. Biopsy of the pancreatic mass revealed a grade three pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma. Histological analysis of a liver mass showed that it was identical to the pancreatic mass, confirming its metastatic nature. The patient underwent distal pancreatectomy with en bloc splenectomy. There was persistence of hypoglycaemic symptoms after removal of the pancreatic mass, suggesting that the liver metastases were also functioning. Symptoms were controlled by diazoxide and octreotide long-acting release. The patient is already 1 year postsurgery with no recurrence of severe hypoglycaemia, and he has good functional capacity and has returned to his office job.

Low indices of overweight and obesity are associated with cardiometabolic diseases among adult Filipinos in a rural community / Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> To determine cut-off levels of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) for overweight/obesity associated with cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) among adult Filipinos in a rural community.<br /><strong>METHODOLOGY:</strong> This community-based cross-sectional observational study utilized data from our Phase II of Diabetes Self-Management Education Program in San Juan, Batangas, Philippines. It included 332 Filipino adults with no known illnesses and residing for at least 6 months in the rural communities. Optimal cut-offs were determined by the intersection of sensitivity and specificity curves of having at least 1 or 2 CMDs.<br /><strong>RESULTS:</strong> The study population included 332 participants (72.3% females). Mean BMI, WC and WHR were 23.5 kg/m2, 79.5 cm and 0.87 respectively. Twenty eight percent, 11.1%, 78.3% and 85.8% of the participants have hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and at least 1 CMD respectively. The optimal cut-off for overweight/obesity and central obesity in males and females are BMI of 24 and 23 kg/m2, WC of 84 and 77 cm, and WHR 0.91 and 0.85 respectively.<br /><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Similar to other Asian countries, cut-off levels for overweight, obesity, and central obesity associated with CMDs are lower than the currently recommended cut-offs among Filipino adults in rural communities, particularly for WC in both sexes.</p>

Orbital metastasis as initial manifestation of a widespread papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), particularly microcarcinomas, rarely metastasise to the orbit. We report a case of a 49-year-old woman with a right supraorbital mass and unremarkable physical examination of the thyroid gland region. Orbital CT scan showed an expansile lytic lesion in the orbital plate of the frontal bone with a soft tissue component. An incision biopsy revealed metastatic well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid ultrasound was normal except for a subcentimetre nodule in the right lobe. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy where histopathology showed a subcentimetre follicular variant PTC. She subsequently received radioactive iodine therapy. Post-therapy whole body scan revealed metastatic thyroid tissues in the right orbital and posterior parietal, and left shoulder and hip areas. Although infrequent, metastatic thyroid carcinoma should be considered in patients with orbital metastasis even when neck examination is normal. In rare cases, this may be the initial manifestation of a widely metastatic papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Cardiac morphology and function of hyperthyroid patients admitted at De La Salle University Medical Center

BACKGROUND: Most characteristics and common signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism are the effects of thyroid  hormones  on  the heart and cardiovascular system. With the advent of echocardiography, characterizing the effects of  hyperthyroidism on the heart has been described mainly for overt hyperthyroidism. Data on subclinical hyperthyroidism  are still conflicting.OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare the cardiac morphology and function of Filipino patients with uncontrolled overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism through echocardiogram, admitted at De La Salle University Medical Center (DLSUMC) for a period  of  five years and six months.  METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective descriptive study that utilized review of medical records. Seventy-five  hyperthyroid patients were included; 56%  with overt hyperthyroidism and 44% with subclinical hyperthyroidism. Cardiac morphology and systolic and diastolic functions were determined in the population and compared  between overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism using 2-dimensional echocardiogram.   RESULTS: Cardiac morphology was slightly  compromised due to slight thickening of interventricular septum (IVSTd) and left ventricular posterior wall thickness at diastole (LVPWTd). There was also an increase in left ventricular mass (LVM), more pronounced in overt hyperthyroidism. Systolic function parameters such as fractional shortening (FS) and ejection fraction (EF) were normal. Impaired left ventricular myocardial relaxation manifested as low early mitral peak flow velocity, low E/A ratio and prolonged isovolumetricrelaxation time (IVRT) was observed in most patients, particularly in overt hyperthyroidism.CONCLUSION: Abnormalities noted were comparable between the two groups of hyperthyroidism. With cardiac  parameters affected even in subclinical hyperthyroidism, treatment might be indicated regardless if hyperthyroidism is  overt or subclinical.