COVID-19 in persons aged 70+ in an early affected German district: Risk factors, mortality and post-COVID care needs-A retrospective observational study of hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.

Background: Cohorts of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have been studied in several countries since the beginning of the pandemic. So far, there is no complete survey of older patients in a German district that includes both outpatients and inpatients. In this retrospective observational cohort study, we aimed to investigate risk factors, mortality, and functional outcomes of all patients with COVID-19 aged 70 and older living in the district of Tübingen in the southwest of Germany.

Insulin sensitivity predicts cognitive decline in individuals with prediabetes.

Introduction: Epidemiological studies indicate an association between type 2 diabetes and cognitive dysfunction that appear to start already in the prediabetic state. Although cross-sectional studies have linked insulin resistance to impaired cognition, the potential predictive value of insulin resistance has not yet been sufficiently studied longitudinally without confounding by overt diabetes (and its pharmacological treatment).

Research Design And Methods: We investigated longitudinal data from participants of the 'Tübinger Evaluation of Risk Factors for Early Detection of Neurodegeneration' Study.

Response of Mitochondrial Respiration in Adipose Tissue and Muscle to 8 Weeks of Endurance Exercise in Obese Subjects.

Context: Exercise training improves glycemic control and increases mitochondrial content and respiration capacity in skeletal muscle. Rodent studies suggest that training increases mitochondrial respiration in adipose tissue.

Objective: To assess the effects of endurance training on respiratory capacities of human skeletal muscle and abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue and to study the correlation with improvement in insulin sensitivity.

A pitfall of bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling in cyclic Cushing's syndrome.

Background: Clinical care of patients with cyclic Cushing's syndrome (CS) is challenging. Classical pitfalls include incorrect subtyping, unnecessary surgical procedures and delayed definite treatment.

Case Presentation: A 43-year-old female suffered from a rapidly cycling ectopic CS.

TGF-β Contributes to Impaired Exercise Response by Suppression of Mitochondrial Key Regulators in Skeletal Muscle.

A substantial number of people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes could not improve insulin sensitivity by physical training intervention. We studied the mechanisms of this impaired exercise response in 20 middle-aged individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes who performed 8 weeks of controlled cycling and walking training at 80% individual Vo2 peak. Participants identified as nonresponders in insulin sensitivity (based on the Matsuda index) did not differ in preintervention parameters compared with high responders.

[Can water be poisonous?].

History And Admission Findings: Two female patients aged over 80 years developed central nervous symptoms after drinking large amounts of water (more than 3 l per day).

Investigations: Both had a hypoosmolar hyponatremia that was induced by concomitant treatment with hydrochlorothiazid (HCT) in the one case and in the other case relied on a distal tubular damage due to reflux nephropathy.

Diagnosis, Treatment And Course: Hyponatremia was corrected after withdrawal of HCT and fluid restriction and central nervous symptoms disappeared rapidly.

[Endocrine abnormalities in a patient with borderline personality disorder--case 8/2014].

History And Admission Findings: We report on a 44-year-old woman who was treated for borderline personality disorder in the Department of Psychiatry. In addition, symptoms of hyperthyroidism (anxiety, weight loss, hyperdefecation) were noticeable. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was marginally elevated, free triiodothyronine (T3) and free thyroxine (T4) were clearly elevated.

[Endocrine abnormalities in a young patient with metastatic cancer - case 3/2013].

History And Admission Findings: We report on a 24-year-old male patient who presented with worsening of the general condition and abdominal pain.

Investigations: On physical examination, gynecomastia was noted. Laboratory tests showed manifest hyperthyroidism.

[A rare differential diagnosis of primary hyperparathyreoidism - case 12/2011].

History And Admission Findings: A 51-year-old woman was admitted from a mental institution for evaluation of hypercalcemia. She was treated with lithium for a bipolar disorder since 25 years. She complained of polydypsia and polyuria.

The development of the Tuebingen Cushing's disease quality of life inventory (Tuebingen CD-25). Part II: normative data from 1784 healthy people.

Objective: In part I of the study, a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) inventory for Cushing's disease (CD), the Tuebingen Cushing-25 quality of life inventory (Tuebingen CD-25) was developed. In this second part, we aimed to assess normative data from healthy controls (HC) with which the individual patients' scores can be compared.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

[Hyponatremia--should it be ignored or diagnosed?--Case 8/2011].

Unlabelled: HISTORY, CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 72-year-old dehydrated female was admitted to our emergency department. She presented with a decreased level of consciousness and had experienced a fall. Her medication included hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride.

The development of the Tuebingen Cushing's disease quality of life inventory (Tuebingen CD-25). Part I: construction and psychometric properties.

Objective: To develop a disease-specific questionnaire for Cushing's disease (CD), the Tuebingen Cushing's disease quality of life inventory (Tuebingen CD-25).

Methods: Sources for item generation consisted of technical literature, interviews with patients and the rating of neurosurgeons, endocrinologists and a neuropsychologist. A preliminary inventory with 64 items was handed out to 63 CD patients.

[A rare cause of thyreotoxicosis].

Background: Amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT) should be included in differential diagnoses of thyrotoxicosis in presence of a suggestive drug history. Adequate treatment requires knowledge of the underlying type of AIT.

History And Admission Findings: A 68-year-old male was admitted because of progressive dyspnea and tachyarrhythmia.

[Hypothyroidism due to pseudo-malabsorption of levothyroxine--Case 12/2009].

Background: Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder which is easily treatable by an appropriate thyroid hormone replacement therapy in the majority of patients. In some patients, hypothyroidism is refractory to oral levothyroxine substitution. Common causes of lack of response to levothyroxine replacement comprise non-compliance and impaired absorption.

[Normokalaemic primary aldosteronism due to an aldosterone-producing adrenal adenoma--Case 06/2009].

History And Admission Findings: A 39-year-old patient presented with normokalaemic therapy refractory arterial hypertension despite of four antihypertensive drugs for further diagnostics.

Investigations: Ultrasound displayed no evidence of renal artery stenosis. Furthermore, the kidneys were normal sized and morphologically without pathological findings.

[Secondary adrenal insufficiency after local injections of triamcinolone acetonide].

History And Admission Findings: Two women, aged 74 and 57 years, were admitted for endocrinological work-up. The 74-year-old women had clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency after she had been given one triamcinolone acetonide intra-articular injection 3 months before. The 57-year-old women who had over several years been repeatedly received local triamcinolone acetonide injections for degenerative changes in her cervical spine for several years and needed reoperative investigation.

17alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency caused by a novel homozygous mutation (Y27Stop) in the cytochrome CYP17 gene.

Context: 17alpha-Hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency, a rare autosomal recessive form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, is caused by mutations in the cytochrome P450c17 (CYP17) gene. We report on a case of complete 17alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency due to a novel homozygous mutation of CYP17.

Design: A 20-yr-old female Turkish patient (46,XX) presented with primary amenorrhea, sexual infantilism, and easy fatigability.

Detection of the apolipoprotein B-100 arg(3500) > gl mutation in familial defective apoB-100 by temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis.

Familial defective apolipoprotein B-100 (FDB) is caused by a point mutation in exon 26 of the apolipoprotein B gene leading to a decreased binding to the LDL-receptor. Patients with FDB have hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerotic disease. Since other mutations of apoB-100 could also cause binding abnormalities we established a temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) method and started to screen hypercholesterolemic patients for the presence of point mutations in this region.

Recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis from suppression by short-term, high-dose intravenous prednisolone therapy in patients with MS.

We have studied the recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis from inhibition by short-term, intravenous high-dose, corticosteroid therapy (IVHDCT) without subsequent oral replacement therapy in 10 patients with relapsing-remitting or progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) using the human corticotrophin-releasing hormone (hCRH) test. There was significant HPA suppression with profoundly decreased basal and peak plasma ACTH and cortisol levels 24 h after cessation of therapy. However, at 48 h the pituitary response was greatly enhanced with peak ACTH concentrations rising by more than 100% over baseline values in 7 of 10 patients.

Systemic vasculitis positive for circulating anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and with predominantly neurological presentation.

A 57-year-old male patient suffering from dramatically deteriorating diffuse and focal central nervous system symptoms was admitted to hospital after a short prodromal period in a somnolent state. He was diagnosed as having systemic vasculitis positive for circulating anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, primarily involving the brain, but also most other organ systems. Circulating anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are highly specific for Wegener granulomatosis, though they have been detected in rare cases of other vasculitic syndromes.