Vitamin D and new insights into pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes.

Deficiency in vitamin D plays a role in the onset and development of insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A normal level of vitamin D is able to reduce low grade inflammation, which is a major process in inducing insulin resistance. It is also engaged in maintaining low resting levels of reactive species and radicals, normal Ca signaling, a low expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines but increased formation of anti-inflammatory cytokines.

Relations of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes to the thyroid cancer.

Objective: Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) generally experience a higher incidence of cancer. However, the association between T2DM and thyroid cancer is inconclusive.

Methods: Case-control prospective study, 722 patients were screened for T2DM and prediabetes (PDM) and underwent thyroid ultrasound and biochemical tests.

Acipimox Administration With Exercise Induces a Co-feedback Action of the GH, PP, and PYY on Ghrelin Associated With a Reduction of Peripheral Lipolysis in Bulimic and Healthy-Weight Czech Women: A Randomized Study.

Anti-lipolytic drugs and exercise are enhancers of growth hormone (GH) secretion. Decreased circulating free fatty acids (FFA) have been proposed to exert ghrelin-GH feedback loop after administration of an anti-lipolytic longer-acting analog of nicotinic acid, Acipimox (OLB, 5-Methylpyrazine-2-carboxylic acid 4-oxide, molecular weight of 154.1 Da).

[Vitamin D and autoimmune thyroid diseases].

From the recent literature data it may be concluded that vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of thyroid autoimmunity development and thus should be considered as an additional important risk factor for both chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (postpartum thyroiditis including) and Graves´ disease. A higher risk of Graves´ disease development is also associated with several polymorphisms in the gene encoding for vitamin D binding protein and for the specific receptor of active form of vitamin D - 1,25-(OH)2D3 in the respective target cells. Whether careful supplementation with vitamin D aimed to normalize low 25(OH)D levels brings preventive or therapeutic effect is subject to further research.

[Urinary iodine concentration in adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus].

Introduction: In patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus only rare data concerning the status of iodine supplementation and impact of possible iodine deficiency is available.

Aim: To get basic information about (a) state of supply with iodine in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1T), (b) the difference from non-diabetic population, (c) possible association of iodine saturation with some clinical and laboratory features of the diabetic syndrome, including the state of thyroid gland.

Subjects And Methods: We examined 54 men and 51 women treated with DM1T in a cross-sectional study.

[Glucagon antagonists open a new way in treatment of type 2 diabetes Mellitus].

Unlabelled: Excessive hepatic glucose production resulting from dysregulated glucagon secretion associated with inappropriate fasting and postprandial hyperglucagonemia is common feature in type 2 diabetes (DM2T). The effects of some currently widely used anti-diabetic agents, especially concerning metformin, GLP1 agonists and inhibitors of DPP4, comprise partial supression of glucagon secretion and/or action. Complete supression of glucagon action is recently widely investigated in experiments, and also results of phase 1 and 2 of the clinical trials are available.

How Does Energy Intake Influence the Levels of Certain Steroids?

The influence of steroid hormones on food intake is well described. However, there are only a few studies on the effect of food intake on steroid levels. The study involved eight non-smoker women (average age 29.

How smoking cessation influence hormonal levels in postmenopausal women?

Smoking represents the most widespread substance dependence in the world. Nicotine alters women hormonal homeostasis. Women smokers have higher testosterone and lower estradiol levels throughout life compared to nonsmokers.

The role of "mixed" orexigenic and anorexigenic signals and autoantibodies reacting with appetite-regulating neuropeptides and peptides of the adipose tissue-gut-brain axis: relevance to food intake and nutritional status in patients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Eating disorders such as anorexia (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are characterized by abnormal eating behavior. The essential aspect of AN is that the individual refuses to maintain a minimal normal body weight. The main features of BN are binge eating and inappropriate compensatory methods to prevent weight gain.

Short-term exercise combined with Acipimox administration induces an increase in plasma ACTH and its subsequent fall in the recovery phase in bulimic women.

Objective: Free fatty acids (FFA)-adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) feedback loop between adipose tissue and the hypothalamic-pituitary centers in the brain has been suggested to be affected by the exercise and by administration of anti-lipolytic drugs. Also leptin may be affected by exercise. Dysfunction of FFA-leptin-ACTH secretion might be involved in binge eating and subsequent purging as is the case in bulimia nervosa (BN).

[Will vitamin D become a new antidiabetic?].

Based on experience from experimental and human studies, vitamin D can be considered an important factor lowering the risk of diabetes mellitus type 1 and 2. The mechanism consists in the direct influence of vitamin D via nuclear receptors on genes coding proteins associated with normal function of B cells of Langerhans islands and genes coding proteins ensuring normal function of the immune system. There is also an indirect influence via regulation of homeostasis of calcium.

A higher response of plasma neuropeptide Y, growth hormone, leptin levels and extracellular glycerol levels in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue to Acipimox during exercise in patients with bulimia nervosa: single-blind, randomized, microdialysis study.

Background: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an important central orexigenic hormone predominantly produced by the hypothalamus, and recently found to be secreted in adipose tissue (AT). Acipimox (Aci) inhibits lipolysis in AT and reduces plasma glycerol and free fatty acid (FFA) levels. Exercise and Aci are enhancers of growth hormone (GH) and NPY secretion and exercise may alter leptin levels.

Acipimox during exercise points to an inhibitory feedback of GH on ghrelin secretion in bulimic and healthy women.

Objective: Ghrelin is predominantly produced by the stomach and the growth hormone (GH)-ghrelin feedback loop between the stomach and the pituitary gland has recently been suggested. The disruption of the gut-brain axis might be involved in bulimia nervosa (BN).

Methods: We investigated responses of plasma GH, ghrelin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY) concentrations to exercise or to exercise after the administration of the antilipolytic drug Acipimox (Aci) in seven BN patients and seven healthy women (C).

Adrenocortical function in young adults with diabetes mellitus type 1.

In 75 young adults with diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM 1) we have performed a cross-sectional study to gain more information about their adrenocortical function. We have found in a surprisingly large portion of patients (25%) a subnormal response (<500 nmol/L, low responders) of the serum cortisol during low-dose Synacthen test, accompanied by significantly decreased stimulated values of aldosterone and salivary cortisol. Basal serum cortisol, aldosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (in women only) were significantly reduced in low responders as well, while ACTH, cortisol binding globulin, plasma renin activity, urinary free cortisol/24h, and salivary cortisol did not differ.

[Adrenocortical insufficiency and diabetes mellitus type 1].

Adrenocortical disorders represents an important problem in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and therefore many physicians are concerned with this issue. The causes of adrenocortical insufficiency include both autoimmunity and dysregulation related to insufficiently compensated diabetes. Early diagnosis of hypocorticism remains doubtful.

[(TTTTA), polymorphism in the promoter of the CYP11A1 gene in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome].

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy which is characterized by ovarian androgen excess. PCOS has a strong genetic component but the pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for hyperandrogenemia are still unknown. The CYP11A1 encodes the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme that catalyzes the first and rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis.

Impaired glucose metabolism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: To compare the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in lean and overweight/obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with the data from a normal population sample.

Methods: PCOS-affected women fulfilling ESHRE diagnostic criteria underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. Prevalence of IGT and T2DM in control sample of white healthy females was extracted from the published data from NHANES II.

Beta cell function and insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: influence of the family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aim: To study the impact of family history (FH) of type 2 diabetes mellitus on beta-cell compensatory mechanism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Subjects And Methods: A total of 70 women with PCOS, 14 with first-degree relative with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (FH+), 56 with negative FH of T2DM (FH-) and 72 age and BMI matched control healthy women (CNT) underwent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Insulin resistance was evaluated as oral glucose index (OGIS); insulin and C-peptide secretion as the insulinogenic index in 30th min of OGTT.

Incretin levels in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been linked to a high risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Disturbances in the secretion of the incretin hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) have been observed in states with impaired glucose regulation. This paper considers the secretion of GIP and GLP-1 after oral glucose load in a group of lean, glucose-tolerant PCOS women in comparison with age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy women.

Role of D327N sex hormone-binding globulin gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome.

SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin) is a transport protein specific for dihydrotestosterone, testosterone and estradiol. The missense mutation in exon 8 (GAC-->AAC) causing the amino acid exchange Asp-->Asn in codon 327 (D327N) correlates according to the published data with increased SHBG levels. We studied possible association of this polymorphism with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and anthropometric and biochemical parameters in 248 PCOS patients and 109 healthy control women.

Insulin sensitivity and counter-regulatory hormones in hypothyroidism and during thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

We examined insulin sensitivity and secretion, together with the levels of selected glucoregulatory hormones, in 15 female patients with severe hypothyroidism (H) and during subsequent thyroid hormone replacement therapy (HRT) using the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique. Insulin action, as evaluated by glucose disposal, the insulin sensitivity index, and fasting post-hepatic insulin delivery rate were established. The basal levels of insulin, C-peptide and counter-regulatory hormones were measured in basal condition.

Determinants of circulating adiponectin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background And Aim: Adiponectin is regarded as a possible link between adiposity and insulin resistance. Ghrelin and leptin are considered as signals of energy status. We evaluated the relationships between these peptides, androgens and insulin sensitivity in women affected by polycystic ovary syndrome.