Melatonin and cortisol serum levels in lung cancer patients at different stages of disease.

Background: Numerous interactions exist among the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, mediated by neurotransmitters, hormones, and cytokines. Melatonin may modulate the integrated functions of a unique neuro-immune-endocrine system. Neoplastic diseases may be linked to progressive loss of integration among these systems.

[Non-invasive hemodynamic assessment with bioimpedance in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism before and after treatment with levo-thyroxin].

Subclinical hypothyroidism is characterized by normal serum levels of free thyroxine and triiodothyronine with increased serum levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) without symptoms. We evaluated by thoracic electrical bioimpedance cardiography the hemodynamic pattern of 38 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism, before and after 6-month therapy with levo(L)-thyroxine. We have not evidenced statistically significant differences for cardiac index, cardiac frequency and vascular peripheral resistances.

Neuroendocrine alterations in lung cancer patients.

Background: A number of qualitative and quantitative changes in hormonal secretion pattern have been found in subjects suffering from neoplastic disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of alterations in neuro-endocrine system function and in the pattern of endocrine secretion in patients with lung cancer.

Methods: Cortisol, melatonin, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (FT4) serum levels were measured on blood samples collected every four hours for 24 hours from ten healthy old subjects aged 65-79 years (mean age +/- s.

[Interstitial lung diseases].

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are an heterogeneous group of inflammatory diseases characterized by an anatomical distortion of peripheral airways and interstitium, determined by a first stage of alveolitis and a following stage of fibrosis. Natural history of several ILD is characterized by slow and progressive destruction of alveolar-capillary functional units, often with respiratory failure and death. For their smoldering evolution and not specificity of symptoms (exertional dyspnea and cough) ILD may remain not diagnosed and not treated for a long time.

[Melatonin in the international literature of the last twenty years].

Melatonin was not considered for a long time in medical culture and scientific research for the difficulties encountered in study protocols and for the obscure relevance in clinical practice. Today the pineal hormone has reached a great popularity, may be not strictly corresponding to the important role played in the regulation of many system function and the commercial diffusion has become extremely wide in some countries.

[Cardiac metastasis of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site].

The finding of intracardiac masses is very uncommon. In this patient the early clinical picture was characterized by neurologic signs and symptoms as mild forgetfulness, blurred vision, a sensation of imbalance, anorexia, weight loss. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple metastatic lesions, computed tomography of the chest, abdomen and pelvis showed intraatrial masses and whole body nuclear scanning evidenced bone lesion.