Incidence of pituitary tumors in the human population of Croatia.

Pituitary tumors are rare tumors (less then 10%) of the central nervous system (CNS), which malignicity depends on their localization, meanwhile, their biological nature is benign. The diameter they have is mostly less then 10 mm (microadenomas), but sometimes could be 10 mm (macroadenomas) to 5 cm and more and then are usually nonfunctional (about 20% of all pituitary tumors). Clinical presence depends on their localisation and hormonal activity.

Depressive disorder as possible risk factor of osteoporosis.

Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a very complicated control system playing an important role in stress reaction, where glucocorticoids suppress the autonomic (vegetative), endocrine, immunologic and psychic responses to stressful stimuli. We described the marked clinical, physiological, and biochemical connection between osteoporosis and major depressive disorder (MDD). Both conditions are associated with a hyperactive HPA axis and LC/NE system, and hence with increased CRH, cortisol, and catecholamine secretion.

Comparison of the postoperative fibrinogen, alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2- macroglobulin concentrations in the blood of wounded soldiers of Croatian Army and peacetime injured civilians.

In 10 wounded Croatian Army soldiers and in 10 civilians with accidental musculosceletal traumatisation, blood concentrations of the 3 acute phase proteins: fibrinogen, alpha-1-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin on the 1st, 5th and 10th postoperative day were assessed. On the 5th day after injury, increased concentrations of all 3 acute phase proteins (APP) were found in all patients. The rise of the fibrinogen concentrations in the wounded soldiers was the steepest.

The effects of cortisol, 11-epicortisol, and lysine vasopressin on DNA and RNA synthesis in isolated human adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting pituitary tumor cells.

The effects of cortisol, its steric analog 11-epicortisol, and lysine vasopressin (LVP) on DNA and RNA synthesis in isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting human pituitary tumor cells obtained by transsphenoidal surgery were studied using [3H]thymidine incorporation in DNA and [3H]uridine in RNA. Cortisol suppressed RNA and, to a greater extent, DNA synthesis in these cells. This could explain the slow growth of pituitary tumors in patients with Cushing's disease and the rapid growth of Nelson's pituitary tumors after bilateral adrenalectomy.