Achievement of fertility in an infertile man with resistant macroprolactinoma using high-dose bromocriptine and a combination of human chorionic gonadotropin and an aromatase inhibitor.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the achievement of fertility in an infertile man with a resistant macroprolactinoma by using high-dose bromocriptine and a combination of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and an aromatase inhibitor. METHODS: We present historical features and results of clinical, laboratory, and imaging evaluation in a man with secondary infertility attributable to a resistant macroprolactinoma. RESULTS: We report a case of macroprolactinoma in a 36-year-old infertile man who failed to attain a normal serum testosterone level and fertility with use of either bromocriptine or cabergoline treatment. Testosterone replacement or hCG therapy in this patient resulted in an increase in serum prolactin levels, which declined after discontinuation of this therapy. The combination of high doses of bromocriptine, hCG, and an aromatase inhibitor facilitated near-normalization of serum prolactin levels, shrinkage of the macroprolactinoma, recovery of serum testosterone levels, sexual function, and sperm count, and achievement of fertility. CONCLUSION: An aromatase inhibitor may facilitate successful testosterone replacement therapy in male patients with prolactinoma.

Screening for gestational diabetes: usefulness of clinical risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: There is little consensus regarding selective or universal screening for gestational diabetes. The aim of this study is to determine the influence of risk factors on incidence of GDM in Iranian population by using 75 g OGTT. METHODS: At the first prenatal visit, 924 pregnant women were assessed for age, BMI, obstetric history, family history of diabetes, and diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome before pregnancy. All eligible women underwent 2-h 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. Gestational diabetes was diagnosed according to American Diabetes Association criteria. RESULTS: During study period, 68 [7.4% (95% CI 5.9-9.2)] cases of GDM were found. Age, pre-pregnancy BMI, and family history of DM were the independent clinical predictors of GDM. In women with age <25, BMI < or = 24.9, and negative family history for diabetes, the risk of GDM was 0.008 (0.001-0.044). This risk increased to 0.250 (0.102-0.495) in women with age > or =30, BMI > or = 30 and positive family history for diabetes. With selective screening and without screening in low risk group, we will do 13.6% (126 of 924) less screening tests while missing potentially 1.5% (1 of 68) of GDM cases. CONCLUSION: Age, BMI, and family history of diabetes were independent risk factors in developing gestational diabetes. Concerning these factors, we do not miss substantial number of GDM cases with selective screening.

Comparison of different diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus based on the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the different diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) proposed by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), World Health Organization (WHO), and Australian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) in a 75-g, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and to investigate their effects on neonatal birth weight. METHODS: Healthy pregnant women were enrolled in a cohort study to undergo a 75-g OGTT during 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy and then followed up to delivery. ADA criteria and recommendations were used for the management of patients. RESULTS: Among 670 pregnant women, GDM was diagnosed in 41 (6.1%), 81 (12.1%), and 126 (18.8%) on the basis of ADA, WHO, and ADIPS criteria, respectively. The kappa value was 0.38 (P<.0001) for the agreement between ADA and WHO criteria, 0.41 (P<.0001) for agreement between ADA and ADIPS criteria, and 0.64 (P<.0001) for agreement between WHO and ADIPS criteria. WHO-only "positive" women had significantly lower fasting plasma glucose (87.9 versus 102.2 mg/dL; P<.0001) and 1-hour plasma glucose levels (146.4 versus 200.5 mg/dL; P<.0001) but higher 2-hour plasma glucose levels (150.1 versus 109.1 mg/dL; P<.0001) than women diagnosed with GDM by only ADA criteria. The correlation coefficient between 1-hour glucose level and neonatal birth weight was 0.09 (P<.02). The adjusted odds ratio of macrosomia associated with GDM according to ADA criteria was 1.34 (95% confidence interval, 0.15 to 12). CONCLUSION: The frequency of occurrence of GDM was 6.1% in a 75-g OGTT based on ADA criteria, and there was fair agreement between ADA and WHO criteria, moderate agreement between ADA and ADIPS criteria, and strong agreement between WHO and ADIPS criteria. A modest correlation was found between the 1-hour serum glucose value and neonatal birth weight.

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in the localization of insulinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic ultrasonography has been accepted as a sensitive modality for preoperative tumor localization in pancreas. We have aimed to determine the performance characteristics of endoscopic ultrasonography in pancreatic insulinoma localization and evaluation of relationship between the tumor size and serum-c peptide level, lowest glucose level and insulin level. METHODS: Patients suspicious to insulinoma according to clinical and laboratory findings were included. Endoscopic ultrasonography was performed and if a tumor was identified, the patient was referred for surgery. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients (24 male and 28 female) with mean age of 42.4 years underwent EUS and 43 patients underwent surgery. In one patient, a tumor was identified both by transabdominal ultrasonography and abdominal CT scan. The overall sensitivity and accuracy of endoscopic ultrasonography for detection of insulinoma was 89.5% and 83.7% respectively. The sensitivity of endoscopic ultrasonography for detection of lesions in pancreatic head, body and tail was 92.6%, 78.9%, and 40.0%, respectively. There was no relationship between c-peptide, lowest blood glucose, insulin blood levels and tumor size in surgery. CONCLUSION: EUS is an accurate method for detection of insulinoma. The accuracy depends on the location of the tumor and is greatest for tumors in the pancreatic head.

Peptic ulcer bleeding: is Helicobacter pylori a risk factor in an endemic area?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: A high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection has been reported in Iran. Although the importance of H. pylori in the induction of peptic ulcer disease is clearly defined, only few studies have addressed its role in bleeding from peptic ulcers. We evaluated the role of H. pylori in peptic ulcer bleeding. METHODS: Patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) and those with peptic ulcer disease without bleeding ('controls') were enrolled. Upper GI endoscopy and rapid urease test were performed in both groups. Histological study for detection of H. pylori was performed in patients with active bleeding, if RUT was negative. Other variables evaluated included sex, age, smoking, previous history of bleeding, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use, ulcer size, ulcer location, and duration of acid-peptic disease. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors. RESULTS: 161 patients with PUB and 287 control patients were enrolled. H. pylori infection was seen more frequently in patients with duodenal ulcer than gastric ulcer (88.9% vs. 60.5%, p< 0.001). Univariate analysis showed that patients with PUB were more often male, older in age, used NSAID, had history of PUB in the past, had ulcer located in the stomach and not in the duodenum, and more often had large ulcer (>1 cm). Logistic regression analysis showed that H. pylori infection was protective in PUB after controlling for confounders (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21-0.79), when ulcer location was not entered in the model. A second model including ulcer location (to test for a residual effect) showed that H. pylori infection was not a significant risk factor in PUB (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.30-1.24). CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori may not be an independent factor in bleeding from peptic ulcers. The lower frequency of this infection in these patients can be described by the higher frequency of bleeding from gastric ulcers, which are less H. pylori related compared with duodenal ulcer.