Use of the continuous glucose monitoring system to treat insulin autoimmune syndrome: quantification of glucose excursions and evaluation of treatment efficacy.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hypoglycaemia, based on the presence of autoantibodies directed against endogenous insulin (insulin autoimmune syndrome or Hirata's disease), is a rare cause of hypoglycaemia. Treatment of the disease is not standardized and various therapeutic options have been proposed. We wondered whether using a continuous glucose-monitoring system could help quantify precisely glucose excursions and allow evaluation of treatment efficacy. CASE REPORT: A 44-year-old Caucasian patient with insulin autoimmune syndrome was studied for 7 days using a continuous glucose monitoring system under various treatment regimens, i.e. diet modification, high-dose corticosteroids, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and plasmapheresis. CONCLUSION: Continuous glucose monitoring system data confirmed that insulin autoimmune syndrome alternated between periods of prandial hyperglycaemia and interprandial hypoglycaemia. Alpha glucosidase inhibitors and plasmapheresis were more potent in limiting glucose excursions than corticosteroid or diet-only treatments. The continuous glucose monitoring system appears to be a useful tool in the management of insulin autoimmune syndrome.

Markers of tumor invasion are major predictive factors for the long-term outcome of corticotroph microadenomas treated by transsphenoidal adenomectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the postsurgical outcome of patients with corticotroph microadenomas and to define predictors of the long-term outcome, with special emphasis on markers of tumor extension. DESIGN: Prospective study of 53 corticotroph microadenomas treated by enlarged adenomectomy. Patients followed for at least 2 years were classified into two groups: those in long-term remission and uncured patients (immediate failures and recurrences). Pre-, per- and postoperative parameters were analyzed as predictors of the long-term outcome. METHODS: Baseline hormone assessments were performed preoperatively, 8 days after surgery and every 6-12 months thereafter. Pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allowed analysis of possible tumor extension to adjacent structures. Apparent completeness of the surgical removal was determined, and fragments labeled either 'tumor' or 'surrounding pituitary tissue' were submitted to serial sectioning. RESULTS: Immediate control of hypercortisolism was achieved in 43/53 patients (81%). However, later recurrences were observed in five patients (9%). Preoperative MRI showed tumor extension into adjacent structures with good specificity (91%) for prediction of surgical failure. Evidence of local invasion at surgery was also significantly predictive of the long-term outcome. A corticotroph adenoma was found at histological examination in 96% of the patients, and 26% had irregular limits, a feature significantly correlated with a poor outcome. Immediate postoperative plasma cortisol did not allow discrimination between long-term remissions and recurrences. CONCLUSION: Surgical failure was best predicted by signs of tumor 'invasiveness' at MRI, confirmed by peroperative examination and histology.

Variable repeats and poly (A)-stretches in the leader sequence of alfalfa mosaic virus RNA 3.

The complete nucleotide sequence of RNA 3 of the L strain of alfalfa mosaic virus (AlMV) was deduced and the 5'-terminal sequence of RNA 3 of the S-strain was revised. A comparison of the RNA sequences of AlMV strains L, S, and M showed that a sequence of 27 to 30 nucleotides is repeated two times in the 5' noncoding regions of all strains. In addition, sequences of 56 and 75 nucleotides are duplicated in the leaders of strain S and L, respectively. An A-rich sequence of 10 nucleotides, present in strain S and M, was found to be extended to 40 nucleotides in strain L. The data provide further information on the fidelity of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases.