Adult patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia have elevated blood pressure but otherwise a normal cardiovascular risk profile.

Objective: Treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids has changed congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) from a fatal to a chronic lifelong disease. Long-term treatment, in particular the chronic (over-)treatment with glucocorticoids, may have an adverse effect on the cardiovascular risk profile in adult CAH patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile of adult CAH patients.

Pioglitazone treatment enlarges subcutaneous adipocytes in insulin-resistant patients.

Context: Obesity-related insulin resistance is associated with an increase in adipocyte size. In rodent models, treatment with the insulin-sensitizers thiazolidinediones (TZDs) leads to the appearance of small, insulin-sensitive adipocytes. Whether such TZD-dependent morphological changes occur in adipose tissue of insulin-resistant patients is unclear.

Pioglitazone improves insulin resistance and decreases blood pressure in adult patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Context: Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are chronically treated with supraphysiological doses of glucocorticoids, which are known to induce insulin resistance. Thiazolidinediones might reverse this effect and improve insulin sensitivity.

Objectives: To assess insulin sensitivity in CAH patients and the effect of pioglitazone treatment on insulin sensitivity in CAH patients.

Unfavourable trends in cardiovascular and metabolic risk in paediatric and adult patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia?

Context: As a result of the introduction of treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, now 60 years ago, congenital adrenal hyperplasia has become a lifelong chronic disease. Whether long-term treatment of the disease leads to long-term side effects remains unknown. In this respect, especially cardiovascular risk seems to be important.

Epinephrine affects hemodynamics of noninnervated normal and all-trans retinoic acid-treated embryonic chick hearts.

Objective: To study the acute effect of epinephrine on hemodynamics of noninnervated normal and retinoic-acid-treated embryos.

Design: Prospective interventional study design.

Methods: A total of 190 stage 15 (50-55 h of incubation) chick embryos were randomly treated with 1 microg all-trans retinoic acid and reincubated.