Publications by authors named "Sabina Zacharieva"

Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) represent conditions of different severity, characterized by an earlier-than-expected decrease in ovarian activity. The present study aims to compare metabolic disturbances between women with DOR and patients with POI from a different origin. A total of 226 women (28 healthy women; 77 individuals with DOR, and 121 patients with POI/36 with Turner syndrome [TS] and 85 with non-TS POI/) have been studied retrospectively.

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Aims: Pathogenic variants in the gene are related to the classic and non-classic forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). However, the role of CAH carrier status in the clinical presentation of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is still unclear. Moreover, the possible associations of different gene polymorphisms with metabolic and reproductive abnormalities in PCOS have not been investigated.

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Introduction: Several retrospective and cross-sectional studies have revealed a higher prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) with a predominance of autoimmune hypothyroidism in prolactinoma patients compared to the general population. To date, we have no data on the clinical course of AITD in these patients. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the clinical course of AITD in female patients with prolactinomas compared to an age- and thyroid-risk factors-matched control group.

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Article Synopsis
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common health condition that affects women's hormones and metabolism, and scientists want to understand how certain chemicals in the body relate to it.
  • The study looked at 50 women with PCOS and 30 healthy women to measure different hormone and chemical levels in their blood.
  • Results showed that women with PCOS had higher levels of certain chemicals (like NMN and NGF) and lower levels of RNL compared to healthy women, which might affect their hormones and health conditions like weight and blood pressure.
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Objective: This extended evaluation (EE) of the SONICS study assessed the effects of levoketoconazole for an additional 6 months following open-label, 6-month maintenance treatment in endogenous Cushing's syndrome.

Design/methods: SONICS included dose-titration (150-600 mg BID), 6-month maintenance, and 6-month EE phases. Exploratory efficacy assessments were performed at months 9 and 12 (relative to the start of maintenance).

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Purpose: The efficacy of levoketoconazole for endogenous Cushing's syndrome was demonstrated in a phase 3, open-label study (SONICS). This study (LOGICS) evaluated drug-specificity of cortisol normalization.

Methods: LOGICS was a phase 3, placebo-controlled, randomized-withdrawal study with open-label titration-maintenance (14-19 weeks) followed by double-blind, randomized-withdrawal (~ 8 weeks), and restoration (~ 8 weeks) phases.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers looked at how cortisol, a hormone, affects the death rates in people with adrenal incidentalomas, which are growths on the adrenal glands found by accident.
  • They studied over 3,600 patients from different countries to see if high cortisol levels linked to more health problems and heart issues.
  • The study found that out of the patients, about 10% died over an average of 7 years, and they analyzed other health conditions that might be related to these adrenal growths.
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: Endogenous Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a rare, life-threatening endocrine disorder that is caused by chronic exposure to cortisol overproduction. Levoketoconazole (Recorlev), a 2, 4 stereoisomer of ketoconazole, is a steroidogenesis inhibitor under investigation for the treatment of CS.: This review covers the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of levoketoconazole for the treatment of patients with endogenous CS.

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Catecholamines are physiological regulators of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism during stress, but their chronic influence on metabolic changes in obese patients is still not clarified. The present study aimed to establish the associations between the catecholamine metabolites and metabolic syndrome (MS) components in obese women as well as to reveal the possible hidden subgroups of patients through hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis. The 24-h urine excretion of metanephrine and normetanephrine was investigated in 150 obese women (54 non diabetic without MS, 70 non-diabetic with MS and 26 with type 2 diabetes).

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Article Synopsis
  • Cushing's disease can lead to a serious problem called Nelson's syndrome after a certain surgery (BADX), but we don’t know enough about it and how to treat it well.
  • Researchers looked at a lot of studies to learn about how common this problem is and how different treatments work.
  • They suggest regular scans (like MRIs) after surgery to keep an eye on things, and they believe that surgery should be the first option to treat new tumors if they show up.
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  • Current practices for managing adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) in Europe vary significantly and do not always align with established guidelines.
  • A survey involving 28 centers from 17 countries revealed that most AGHD patients have non-functioning pituitary adenomas and that GH diagnosis often requires stimulation tests.
  • There is insufficient knowledge about AGHD among healthcare professionals outside of endocrinology, and improvements in education and coverage for GH treatment are necessary to enhance patient care.
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Cardiomyopathy is a frequent complication of pheochromocytoma, and echocardiography is the most accessible method for its evaluation. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical significance of classical and novel echocardiographic parameters of cardiac function in 24 patients with pheochromocytomas (PPGL) compared to 24 subjects with essential hypertension (EH). Fourteen PPGL patients were reassessed after successful surgery.

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Objective: Acromegaly is characterized by high neoplastic morbidity as a side effect of growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion. Increased incidence of goiter, thyroid carcinoma, and thyroid dysfunction is also reported. The aim of the present study was to find the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and goiter in patients with acromegaly and determine its relationship to disease activity, disease duration, and the presence of secondary hypothyroidism.

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Acromegaly and its comorbidities affect the patients' quality of life, each healthcare system and the society. This study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics and treatment patterns and the economic burden of acromegaly. All patients with acromegaly treated with expensive medicines and regularly followed up at the main expert clinical center for acromegaly in the country were included in this nationwide, retrospective, observational, population-based study.

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Pituitary adenomas are benign tumors with variable functional characteristics that can have a significant impact on patients. The majority arise sporadically, but an inherited genetic susceptibility is increasingly being recognized. Recent advances in genetics have widened the scope of our understanding of pituitary tumorigenesis.

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Familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) is one of the most frequent conditions associated with an inherited presentation of pituitary tumors. FIPA can present with pituitary adenomas of any secretory/non-secretory type. Mutations in the gene for the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) have been identified in approximately 20% of FIPA families and are the most frequent cause (29%) of pituitary gigantism.

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Background: Carbohydrate disorders are the most frequent metabolic disorders, affecting a significant proportion of patients with pheochromocytoma.

Objective: A retrospective study assessed the prevalence and progression of carbohydrate disorders in 204 patients (92 men, 112 women) with histologically proven pheochromocytoma diagnosed in a single specialized tertiary center during a 40-year period (1978-2017). One hundred were followed-up after tumor removal.

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Background: Gynecomastia (GM) is a benign enlargement of male breast due to glandular tissue proliferation. GM is a symptom of systemic or local hormonal disturbances, which could be associated with functional changes or pathological conditions. However, the long-lasting steroid imbalance in men with GM might exert negative influence on their metabolic health.

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Context: Signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome (CS) overlap with common diseases, such as the metabolic syndrome, obesity, osteoporosis, and depression. Therefore, it can take years to finally diagnose CS, although early diagnosis is important for prevention of complications.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the time span between first symptoms and diagnosis of CS in different populations to identify factors associated with an early diagnosis.

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Pituitary adenomas are frequently occurring neoplasms that produce clinically significant disease in 1:1000 of the general population. The pathogenesis of pituitary tumors is a matter of interest as it could help to improve diagnosis and treatment. Until recently, however, disruptions in relatively few genes were known to predispose to pituitary tumor formation.

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Objective: Patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS) have increased mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the causes and time of death in a large cohort of patients with CS and to establish factors associated with increased mortality.

Methods: In this cohort study, we analyzed 1564 patients included in the European Registry on CS (ERCUSYN); 1045 (67%) had pituitary-dependent CS, 385 (25%) adrenal-dependent CS, 89 (5%) had an ectopic source and 45 (3%) other causes.

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11β-Hydroxylase deficiency is the second most common enzyme disorder after 21-hydroxylase deficiency causing congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). In females, the clinical phenotype of CAH classic forms is associated with ambiguous genitalia, virilization and hypertension, while most common complaints in milder non-classic forms include hirsutism, acne, menstrual disturbances, and infertility. Herein, we present clinical and genetic characteristics of an adult woman with 11β-hydroxylase deficiency, hypertension and infertility; she has been followed up from her first pregnancy to her early menopause.

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Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with serious comorbidities and an increased mortality rate that could be reduced only if strict biochemical control is achieved. The aim of this study was to show the 50-year experience of a single tertiary center in the management of CS patients - the different treatment modalities used over the years and the corresponding outcomes. It was a retrospective study of a large cohort of patients from the Bulgarian CS database: 613 patients (374 with ACTH-dependent and 239 with ACTH-independent CS).

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Acromegaly is a rare disorder caused by chronic growth hormone (GH) hypersecretion. While diagnostic and therapeutic methods have advanced, little information exists on trends in acromegaly characteristics over time. The , a relational database, is designed to assess the profile of acromegaly patients at diagnosis and during long-term follow-up at multiple treatment centers.

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Background: The potent immunomodulatory action of prolactin has been demonstrated in many experimental in vitro studies. In accordance with these data, our retrospective analyses revealed higher prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases in prolactinoma patients compared to general population.

Purpose: A cross-sectional case-control study was carried out in a single tertiary referral centre.

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