Cardiovascular drugs in human mechanical nociception: digoxin, amlodipine, propranolol, pindolol and atenolol.

Calcium channel blockers, beta adrenergic receptor blockers and Na/K ATPase inhibitors are widely used drugs, mainly for cardiovascular diseases. Their pharmacological targets are not restricted to the cardivascular tissue, nociceptive system structures also express similar targets, which strongly suggests a direct effect on pain sensation. To evaluate the pain intensity changes in outpatient groups, who receive these drugs as a therapy, a cross-sectional sampled, randomized patient groups receiving the calcium channel blocker amlodipine for blood hypertension (n=45), beta adrenergic receptor blockers (propranolol, atenolol or pindolol; n=40) for blood hypertension, or digoxin (n=40) for heart failure, were compared to an aparently healthy volunteers control group (n=60).

Comparative results of a 4-year study on cardiovascular parameters, lipid metabolism, body composition and bone mass between untreated and treated adult growth hormone deficient patients.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term evolution of cardiovascular parameters, lipid metabolism, body composition and bone mass in untreated and treated adult growth hormone deficient patients (AGHD) comparing the differences between the two groups and within each group.

Design: Seventy-one AGHD-patients were enrolled; 48 received growth hormone (GH) therapy: treated group (TG) and 23 received no GH therapy: control group (CG). In the TG, 22 were childhood-onset (CO) GH-deficient patients, 18-44 years (12 males) and 26 were adult-onset (AO) GH-deficient patients, 27-66 years (10 males).

Medium and long-term outcome of growth hormone therapy in growth hormone deficient adults.

We evaluated long-term replacement therapy outcomes in various subsets of patients with adult growth hormone (GH) deficiency (AGHD) as well as the patients' susceptibility to adverse events. Fifty-nine patients with AGHD were evaluated, 27 with childhood onset (CO) (18-44 years old, 12 females) and 32 with adult onset (AO) (27-70 years, 18 females). A significant improvement in HDL-cholesterol was observed in AGHD-AO males (basal: 41.

Adult growth hormone deficiency. Metabolic alterations and evaluation of different risk groups.

Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is an heterogeneous clinical entity characterized by increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, alterations in body composition, osteoporosis and impaired quality of life. In order to characterize higher risk subpopulations we studied 77 patients with AGHD, 35 with childhood onset (AGHD-CO): CA 18-44 yr.; 13 females and 22 males, and 42 with adult onset (AGHD-AO): CA 25-70 yr.

Evaluation of diagnostic accuracy of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding protein-3 in growth hormone-deficient children and adults using ROC plot analysis.

We critically evaluated the diagnostic value of IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in GH deficiency (GHD) in children and adults using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plot analysis. Sixty-six children (chronological age, 1.3-15 yr) were studied: 34 GHD and 32 idiopathic short stature (ISS).

Tumoral versus non-tumoral hyperprolactinemia in children and adolescents: possible usefulness of the domperidone test.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the domperidone test for the difficult diagnosis between functional and tumoral hyperprolactinemia. We evaluated 36 patients, aged 5-18 years, 14 (12 F, 2 M) with hyperprolactinemia (non-tumoral: 10; pituitary adenoma: 4) and 22 individuals as a control group (prepubertal: 5 F, 8 M; pubertal: 4 F, 5 M). Basal prolactin (PRL) (IRMA-DPC), T4 and TSH and PRL 30 min post-domperidone (0.

Effect of two years of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I suppression on prostate diseases in acromegalic patients.

The insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) have mitogenic effects on normal and tumoral prostate epithelial cells and have been suggested to be involved in prostate cancer. Moreover, chronic GH and IGF-I excess causes prostate overgrowth in patients with acromegaly. This study was designed to investigate whether the suppression of GH and IGF-I levels by surgery or pharmacotherapy could induce the regression of prostatic hyperplasia in acromegalic patients.

Peripubertal prolactinomas: clinical presentation and long-term outcome with different therapeutic approaches.

Unlabelled: The evolution of prolactinomas in children and adolescents continues to be controversial. We report on the long-term evolution (2-20 yr) of prolactinomas in 40 patients (29 F, 11 M). In females, the age for the onset of symptoms ranged between 8 and 16 yr and the age at which diagnosis was made ranged from 15 to 19 yr; in males, ages ranged from 8 to 17 yr and from 13.

Ultrasonographic evidence of joint thickening reversibility in acromegalic patients treated with lanreotide for 12 months.

Background: A major cause of morbidity and functional disability in acromegaly is represented by axial and peripheral arthropathy.

Objective: The effect of a 12-month treatment with lanreotide (LAN) on arthropathy in 12 untreated acromegalic patients has been evaluated. Twelve healthy subjects served as controls.

Effect of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I on prostate diseases: an ultrasonographic and endocrine study in acromegaly, GH deficiency, and healthy subjects.

The role of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in prostate development is currently under thorough investigation because it has been claimed that IGF-I is a positive predictor of prostate cancer. To assess the effect of GH and IGF-I levels on prostate pathophysiology, 46 acromegalic (30 in active disease, 10 cured from acromegaly, and 6 affected from GH deficiency) and 30 age-matched male controls, free from previous or concomitant prostate disorders, underwent pituitary, androgen, and prostate hormonal assessments and transrectal ultrasonography. Compared to control values, GH (P < 0.

Effectiveness and tolerability of slow release lanreotide treatment in active acromegaly.

This single-center open sequential study aimed at comparing the efficacy of a 6-month treatment with lanreotide (LAN) (60-90 mg/month i.m.), to that of octreotide (OCT) (0.