Apoplexy in a previously undiagnosed pituitary macroadenoma in the setting of recent COVID-19 infection.

Pituitary apoplexy is an endocrine emergency, which commonly presents as hypopituitarism. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can be both life and vision saving. There are a growing number of published case reports postulating a link between COVID-19 and pituitary apoplexy. We report the case of a 75-year-old man who presented with a headache and was later diagnosed with hypopituitarism secondary to pituitary apoplexy. This occurred 1 month following a mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection with no other risk factors commonly associated with pituitary apoplexy. This case, therefore, supplements an emerging evidence base supporting a link between COVID-19 and pituitary apoplexy.

The role of lectin-like oxidised low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 in vascular pathology.

The lectin-like oxidised low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is a vascular scavenger receptor that plays a central role in the pathogenesis of atherothrombotic disease, which remains the main cause of mortality in the Western population. Recent evidence indicates that targeting LOX-1 represents a credible strategy for the management vascular disease and the current review explores the role of this molecule in the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis. LOX-1-mediated pro-atherogenic effects can be inhibited by anti-LOX-1 monoclonal antibodies and procyanidins, whereas downregulation of LOX-1 expression has been achieved by antisense oligonucleotides and a specific pyrrole-imidazole polyamide. Furthermore, LOX-1 can be utilised for plaque imaging using monoclonal antibodies and even the selective delivery of anti-atherosclerotic agents employing immunoliposome techniques. Also, plasma levels of the circulating soluble form of LOX-1 levels are elevated in atherosclerosis and therefore may constitute an additional diagnostic biomarker of vascular pathology.