BACKGROUNDTo explore the effect of short-term cholesterol-lowering treatment with atorvastatin on erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport (Na + /Li + CT) activity. methODs Group A consisted of 30 patients (14 men) with mild essential hypertension (systolic blood pressure (SBP), 140-159 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP, 90-99 mm Hg) and primary hypercholesterolemia lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol >4.1 mmol/l and triglycerides (TG) <2.8 mmol/l), group B of 30 normotensive patients (16 men) with primary hypercholesterolemia, while 37 (18 men) healthy volunteers comprised the control group. After a 6-week dietary lead-in, all eligible patients were prescribed 20 mg/day of atorvastatin. Anthropometric data, blood-pressure (BP) measurements and determinations of lipid, non-lipid metabolic parameters (including homeostasis model assessment index, (HOMA-IR)) and erythrocyte Na + /Li + CT activity were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. ResUltsAt baseline Na + /Li + CT activity was significantly higher in group A and B compared with the control group and correlated directly with obesity indices, systolic and diastolic BP, total cholesterol, LDLcholesterol, TG, apolipoprotein B (apoB), HOMA-IR, uric acid and inversely with high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and apoA1. Systolic and diastolic BP levels, HOMA-IR and Na + /Li + CT activity were significantly decreased after atorvastatin treatment in both patient groups. The reduction in Na + /Li + CT activity correlated with baseline Na + /Li + CT activity and the changes in HOMA-IR values. CONClUsiONsShort-term treatment with atorvastatin for patients with hypercholesterolemia, and with or without essential hypertension, is associated with a significant reduction in the erythrocyte Na + /Li + CT activity, BP levels and insulin resistance independent of concomitant changes in lipid parameters.

A 44-year-old man presented with painful swelling of wrists and ankles, severe pain at both tibiae, clubbing of fingers and toes and arthritis in wrist and ankle joints. The chest roentgenogram showed consolidation of the right lower lobe, whereas plain roentgenograms revealed solid periosteal reaction at both tibiae. CT and bronchoscopy confirmed the presence of adenocarcinoma of the right lower lobe. Moreover, mycobacterium of tuberculosis was isolated by culture of the patient's sputum.Our patient received antituberculous treatment and soon he underwent surgical excision of the tumour and subsequent chemotherapy. Ten months later, he returned with metastatic lesions in the brain and the adrenals. A few days later, he died.The patient suffered from bronchial adenocarcinoma as well as pulmonary tuberculosis. As a complication of these two coexisting conditions, the patient developed hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy.

Background/Aims/Methods: Aggressive systemic mastocytosis (ASM) is a subtype of systemic mastocytosis, which comprises a heterogenous group of disorders characterized by infiltration of bone marrow, skin, liver, spleen, lymph nodes and gastrointestinal tract by neoplastic mast cells. There is lack of data on the association of ASM with renal involvement, as kidney is not among the known organs affected by ASM. Results/Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of ASM associated with mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, without the presence of nephrotic syndrome. The patient’s clinical course and the intriguing family history, along with the treatment selection are described. Finally, the proposed possible pathophysiological mechanisms explaining the renal involvement of our patient are discussed.

BackgroundWe present the case of a patient who presented with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma with a solitary large liver metastasis. Hepatic metastases are extremely rare in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.Case presentationWe report the case of a 78-year old Greek man who presented with voice hoarseness, dyspnoea and a large mass on the anterior surface of the cervical region (neck), as well as constitutional symptoms such as anorexia, weight loss and malaise. On physical examination, the thyroid was hard and tender on palpation and a liver mass was palpable. Routine biochemistry yielded normal results except increased C-reactive protein, alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutaryl transferase. Other biochemical tests including tumor markers, thyroid hormones, antithyroid antibodies, hepatitis B and hepatitis C antibodies were negative. Imaging methods revealed enlargement of the left thyroid lobe extending to the anterior mediastinum and compressing the trachea, metastatic bilateral pulmonary lesions and a large, nodular, contrast-enhanced mass-occupying lesion in the right hepatic lobe. The findings of fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid were consistent with anaplastic carcinoma. Liver biopsy showed infiltrations by poorly differentiated anaplastic cells, few of which were slightly positive for thyroglobulin. These findings were suggestive of a hepatic metastasis originating from anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. During his hospitalization, the patient suffered progressive obstruction of the trachea due to rapid increase of the thyroid gland mass. The tumor was considered unresectable due to its advanced stage, as well as the presence of extrathyroid metastatic lesions. The patient was irradiated on cervical region (neck) and upper mediastinum with a daily dose of 300 cGy for 10 days which resulted in mild improvement of obstructive phenomena. However, his clinical condition deteriorated rapidly and he died within a few days.ConclusionSolitary, large hepatic metastasis may constitute a rare complication in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.