Prolactinomas, drug induced hyperprolactinemia, and macroprolactinemia were the 3 most common causes of hyperprolactinemia. Although PRL levels could not reliably define the etiology of hyperprolactinemia, PRL values >500 ng/ml were exclusively seen in patients with prolactinomas. CAB was significantly more effective than BCR in terms of prolactin normalization, tumor shrinkage, and tolerability.

Os hormônios esteróides anabólicos androgênicos (EAA) compreendem a testosterona e seus derivados. Eles são produzidos nos testículos e no córtex adrenal, e promovem as características sexuais secundárias associadas à masculinidade. Na medicina, os EAA são utilizados geralmente no tratamento de sarcopenias, do hipogonadismo, do câncer de mama e da osteoporose. Nos esportes, são utilizados para o aumento da força física e da massa muscular; entretanto, os efeitos sobre o desempenho atlético permanecem, ainda, controversos. Os EAA podem causar diversos efeitos colaterais, como psicopatologias, câncer de próstata, doença coronariana e esterilidade. Estudos epidemiológicos apontam a problemática acerca do uso de EAA, nos esportes; todavia, no Brasil não existem publicações substanciais sobre esse tema. Esta revisão analisa esse assunto, procurando despertar a curiosidade e o interesse dos leitores para a produção científica de novos trabalhos relacionados ao tema.

Objective: To investigate the role of dietary calcium and vitamin D in the process of growth and development of children and adolescents, focusing in particular on the prevention and treatment of delayed growth caused by nutritional deficiency. Sources:Information was gathered from articles published in the last 2 decades, from searches on the databases SciELO, PubMed and Medline, technical books and publications of international organizations. Summary of the findings:Growth is influenced by intrinsic (genetic and metabolic) and extrinsic factors (environmental factors such as diet, health, hygiene, housing and access to health services). Among the nutritional factors are vitamin and oligoelement deficiencies which may be associated with malnutrition or caused by insufficient absorption. Since calcium is one of the main mineral components of bone tissue, it is essential for adequate bone formation and, considering that vitamin D plays an important role in calcium metabolism, a diet with insufficient quantities of these nutrients can impact on the formation of the skeleton and on the process of growth and development. Conclusions:In children and adolescents, low intake or low absorption of calcium and vitamin D may limit their statural growth, and it is necessary to supply sufficient quantities of both during the critical growth phases.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2008;84(5):386-394: Growth disorders, rickets, nutrition, diet, nutritional recommendations.

Hypopituitarism is a disorder characterized by insufficient secretion of one or more pituitary hormones. New etiologies of hypopituitarism have been recently described, including head trauma, cerebral hemorrhage, and drug-induced hypophysitis. The investigation of patients with these new disorders, in addition to advances in diagnosis and treatment of hypopituitarism, has increased the prevalence of this condition. Pituitary hormone deficiencies can induce significant clinical changes with consequent increased morbidity and mortality rates, while hormone replacement based on current guidelines protects these patients. In this review, we will first discuss the different etiologies of hypopituitarism and then address one by one the clinical aspects, diagnostic evaluation, and therapeutic options for deficiencies of TSH, ACTH, gonadotropin, and GH. Finally, we will detail the hormonal interactions that occur during replacement of pituitary hormones.

ObjectiveThe first-line treatment for Cushing’s disease is transsphenoidal surgery, after which the rates of remission are 60 to 80%, with long-term recurrence of 20 to 30%, even in those with real initial remission. Drug therapies are indicated for patients without initial remission or with surgical contraindications or recurrence, and ketoconazole is one of the main available therapies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety profile of and the treatment response to ketoconazole in Cushing’s disease patients followed up at the endocrinology outpatient clinic of a Brazilian university hospital.Patients and methodsThis was a retrospective cohort of Cushing’s disease patients with active hypercortisolism who used ketoconazole at any stage of follow-up. Patients who were followed up for less than 7 days, who did not adhere to treatment, or who were lost to follow-up were excluded.ResultsOf the 172 Cushing’s disease patients who were followed up between 2004 and 2020, 38 received ketoconazole. However, complete data was only available for 33 of these patients. Of these, 26 (78%) underwent transsphenoidal surgery prior to using ketoconazole, five of whom (15%) had also undergone radiotherapy; seven used ketoconazole as a primary treatment. Ketoconazole use ranged from 14 days to 14.5 years. A total of 22 patients had a complete response (66%), three patients had a partial response (9%), and eight patients had no response to treatment (24%), including those who underwent radiotherapy while using ketoconazole. Patients whose hypercortisolism was controlled or partially controlled with ketoconazole had lower baseline 24-h urinary free cortisol levels than the uncontrolled group [times above the upper limit of normal: 0.62 (SD, 0.41) vs. 5.3 (SD, 8.21); p < 0.005, respectively] in addition to more frequent previous transsphenoidal surgery (p < 0.04). The prevalence of uncontrolled patients remained stable over time (approximately 30%) despite ketoconazole dose adjustments or association with other drugs, which had no significant effect. One patient received adjuvant cabergoline from the beginning of the follow-up, and it was prescribed to nine others due to clinical non-response to ketoconazole alone. Ten patients (30%) reported mild adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and loss of appetite. Only four patients had serious adverse effects that warranted discontinuation. There were 20 confirmed episodes of hypokalemia among 10/33 patients (30%).ConclusionKetoconazole effectively controlled hypercortisolism in 66% of Cushing’s disease patients, being a relatively safe drug for those without remission after transsphenoidal surgery or whose symptoms must be controlled until a new definitive therapy is carried out. Hypokalemia is a frequent metabolic effect not yet described in other series, which should be monitored during treatment.

Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab vol 47 nº 4 Agosto 2003 368 RESUMOA síndrome de Cushing representa um desafio diagnóstico, requerendo suspeita clínica apurada, conhecimento adequado da regulação hormonal do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-adrenal, aplicação precisa de testes funcionais que estimulam ou inibem este eixo e a indicação de exames de imagem resolutivos para as diversas etiologias investigadas. Neste artigo, discutimos a abordagem diagnóstica da síndrome de Cushing, analisando a aplicação dos diversos testes utilizados tanto para o diagnóstico sindrômico como para definição da sua etiologia. Destacamos o diagnóstico diferencial entre a doença de Cushing leve e os estados de pseudo-Cushing e entre doença de Cushing e síndrome do ACTH ectópico. Baseados nestes conceitos e conhecimentos, e em nossa experiência, propomos um modelo de abordagem para pacientes com suspeita de síndrome de Cushing, ressaltando que, em algumas situações, para um correto diagnóstico etiológico, são necessários métodos invasivos e sofisticados. The diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome require an accurate clinical suspicion, information about hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, adequate use of functional hormonal tests and the indication of resolutive image examination with the objective of determining its etiology. In this paper, we discuss the diagnostic approach of the Cushing's syndrome, the application of the hormonal tests used for the syndromic and etiologic definition, with special focus in the differential diagnosis of Cushing's Disease vs. pseudo-Cushing's states and Cushing's disease vs. ectopic ACTH syndrome. Finally, we propose a standard approach for these patients, including suggestions about the application of sophisticated and invasive methods. Keywords: Cushing's syndrome; Cushing's disease; Hypercortisolism; Differential diagnosis O DIAGNÓSTICO DIFERENCIAL DE PACIENTES com síndrome de Cushing (SC) tem-se constituído em importante desafio à prática endocrinológica, mesmo empregando-se os mais avançados métodos laboratoriais e/ou de imagem. Tratando-se de entidade rara (2-5 novos casos por milhão de habitantes/ano), seu diagnóstico diferencial envolve situações clínicas comuns como obesidade, diabete mélito, hipertensão arterial, hirsutismo, irregularidade menstrual, além da corticoterapia exógena (1,2), o que a torna um diagnóstico a ser considerado no dia a dia do consultório

Objective: To review current concepts of physiopathology, diagnosis and treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in childhood, as well as preventive measures to avoid cerebral edema. Sources:The authors selected articles from MEDLINE with the keywords diabetes, ketoacidosis, hyperglycemia and cerebral edema, and priority was given to studies including children and that contained complete texts published in English, Portuguese or Spanish. Chapters of books published in Brazil describing the treatment of DKA in pediatric intensive care unit were also reviewed. Based on the reviewed literature and on the author's experience, the most efficient and recommended measures for DKA management are presented. Summary of the findings:Normal saline solution (NaCl 0.9%) has been increasingly used for fast replacement and hydration, as a substitute to diluted (hypotonic) solutions, as well as contraindication of sodium bicarbonate to repair metabolic acidosis in DKA. Regular insulin should be used as continuous infusion (0.1 IU/kg/h) without the need of a loading dose. For fast corrections of glucose oscillations, a practical scheme using two bags of electrolytic solutions is presented. Cerebral edema, its physiopathological mechanism and current treatment are reviewed. Conclusions:Use of continuous infusion of regular insulin associated with adequate water and electrolyte replacement using isotonic solutions, besides being an effective treatment for DKA, preserves plasma osmolarity and prevents cerebral edema.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2007;83(5 Suppl):S119-127: Diabetes, acidosis, dehydration, insulin, cerebral edema.

IntroductionThe differential diagnosis between Cushing’s disease (CD) and ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) is complex, and bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS) is considered the gold-standard test. However, BIPSS with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation is rarely available.ObjectiveThis retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the accuracy of the inferior petrosal sinus to peripheral ACTH gradient (IPS:P) before and after desmopressin stimulation for the differential diagnosis of ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome (CS), applying different cutoff values.MethodsA total of 50 patients (48 with CD and 2 with EAS) who underwent BIPSS were included in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of IPS:P in BIPSS before and after desmopressin stimulation were evaluated. Various cutoff values for IPS:P were examined to determine their diagnostic accuracy.ResultsUsing the traditional IPS:P cutoff, the sensitivity was 85.1% before stimulation, 89.6% after stimulation, and a combined sensitivity of 91.7%. Applying cutoff values of IPS:P >1.4 before and >2.8 after stimulation, the sensitivity was 87.2% and 89.6%, respectively, with a combined sensitivity of 91.7%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined optimal cutoff values of 1.2 before stimulation and 1.57 after stimulation, resulting in a sensitivity of 93.6% and 93.8%, respectively, with a combined sensitivity of 97.9%. Specificity remained at 100% throughout all analyses. Among the 43 patients who responded positively to stimulation, 42 (97.7%) did so within the first three minutes, and all 43 (100%) did so within the first five minutes. None of the assessed clinical variables predicted the ACTH response to stimulation in BIPSS with statistical significance.DiscussionACTH stimulation with desmopressin during BIPSS improves the accuracy of IPS:P, making it a valuable tool for investigating ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. Considering the low risk of complications, we recommend the use of desmopressin stimulation during BIPSS for the differential diagnosis of ACTH-dependent CS.