International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume:3 Issue: 3, sep 2005

Despite the diversity of studies on hypothermia, many of its biologic and physiologic effects are still poorly recognized. In this study the effect of hypothermia on the renin- angiotensin- aldosterone axis was explored. Ten male albino wistar rats after anesthetizing by chloral hydrate (0.5 m1/100gr body weights) were cooled to 25oC. Before and just after hypothermia, and once every 24 hours for three days; serum levels of agiotensin I and aldosterone were measured, using the radioimmunoassay method. Plasma renin activity was also determineded by the standard formula for angiotensin determinates at two temperatures of 4oC and 37oC. Plasma renin activity increased during hypothermia but then decreased to a level not significantly different from basal values. Angiotensin I increased significantly in the second sample taken 24 hours following hypothermia (p<0.05) and then decreased to the basal range by 72 hours. Serum aldosterone level rose significantly until 48 hours following hypothermia, after which it began to decrease and returned to basal level. Results of this study advocate the stimulating effect of moderate hypothermia on plasma renin activity, angiotensin I and aldosterone.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been associated with a plethora of immune and autoimmune perturbations. A variety of conditions ranging from endocrinopathies to different skin diseases have been described in HCV infection. The association of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) with HCV infection has been reported in literature. Some data so far accessible are controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of HCV infection in patients with HT. A total of 50 patients with HT (35 women, 15 men, mean age: 33.82 ± 13.68 years) and 50 control subjects (33 women, 17 men, mean age: 32.90 ± 13.07 years) were examined. Third generation ELISA test was used for detection of antibodies for HCV in human sera, and anti-HCV positive patients were tested for HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All normal controls were anti-HCV negative whereas anti-HCV antibody was present in 2 patients with HT, confirmed by RTPCR. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare relative frequencies. Results indicated that there was no significant difference of anti-HCV anti-bodies between patients and controls. In this study no relationship was found between HCV infection and HT, implying that hepatitis C virus has no a direct causal role in the pathogenesis of HT, this however does not rule out a “hit and run” virus induced disease..

adioiodine (RAI) therapy for metastatic follicular cell–derived thyroid cancer (FCDC) requires elevated levels of serum TSH, usually achieved by withdrawal of thyroxine therapy. This is not possible in FCDC associated with hypopituitarism, because of the absence of endogenous TSH. However, the advent of recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) has made diagnostic 131I whole body scans and subsequent RAI therapy possible for patients with FCDC who have deficiency of endogenous TSH. Recently, several reports have been published of patients with metastatic FCDC and pituitary tumor treated after rhTSH administration. We describe 2 cases of FCDC with hypopituitarism, in which therapeutic RAI intervention was possible only with rhTSH administration. We searched our medical records from 1950 through 1999 to determine the prevalence of FCDC metastases to the pituitary. We identified 19 cases of FCDC with concomitant hypopituitarism but only 1 with metastasis of FCDC to the sellar region. Of the 19 patients, 2 were treated with rhTSH before RAI therapy. Although metastasis of FCDC to the pituitary is rare as shown by our study, association of pituitary insufficiency with FCDC is more common. The availability of rhTSH has improved therapy for these patients..

Hypothyroidism is one of the most frequently encountered endocrine diseases in childhood and the importance of its early diagnosis and adequate treatment prevents developmental retardation and other sequelae of the condition. Over a ten year period, 45 children under 12 years with hypothyroidism were encountered an Endocrine and Diabetes Clinic for Children in Al-Kadhymia Teaching Hospital College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University Baghdad, Iraq, over the period from Jan. 1993-Jan.2003. Five (11.1%) patients had Hashimoto thyroiditis and 40 (88.9%) were diagnosed with congenital primary hypothyroidism. Of the latter group 24(60%) from urban area and 16(40%) from rural area west of Baghdad. The female to male ratio was 1.6:1. A history of parental consanguinity was positive in 36(80%) of the patients and 30 (60.7%) had family history of hypothyroidism. Ten patients had dyshormonogenesis, 15 had aplastic thyroids, and 10 had ectopic tissue. Although much information on the overall prevalence of childhood hypothyroidism in Iraq, is not available, the first observation to be made is that this is not a rare disease in this country. A genetic explanation is suggested by the involvement of multiple siblings and the high ratio of consanguinity in the population..

Persistent mullerian duct is a rare syndrome secondary to anti-mullerian hormone deficiency. Here we describe the case of a phenotypically fertile male who presented with bilateral tender gynecomastia. Other than a left undescendent testicle, which was palpable in the inguinalcanal, he had normal external gentalia. Physical examination revealed an abdominal mass, palpable in the supra pubic area. The ectopic testicle showed endometrial tissue. Abdominal mass proved to be choriocarcinoma. Later he developed distant metastasis to the lung and paraortic area.

We report a 14-year-old female patient with Graves’ hyperthyroidism and mild eye signs in whom ophthalmopathy worsened after several months of treatment with Methimazole and thyroxin. Serum antibodies against the eye muscle antigens G2s, flavoprotein (Fp), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and flavine adenine Dinucleotide (FAD), and human TSH receptor, were measured retrospectively in serum taken from the patient over a 3 yr period. High levels of serum antibodies against the TSH receptor [TSH receptor antibody (TRAb)] were detected in the first sample, when mild proptosis, chemosis and diplopia on extreme gaze were noted. TRAb levels then declined and became negative after 15 months. Twelve months after the initial assessment she developed eye grittiness and excess tearing and, two wk later, antibodies against G2s became positive. Six months later she complained of severe upward- gaze double vision and increased proptosis was noted. At that time antibodies against Fp and SDH became positive. This is the first report correlating a patient’s autoantibody levels with clinical symptoms and signs of ophthalmopathy. Autoimmunity against the TSH receptor may be the initial event in the development of ophthalmopathy in patients with Graves‘ hyperthyroidism while antibodies against G2s and Fp are produced later, in association with worsening inflammatory changes and eye muscle damage. Despite the close relationship between eye muscle antibodies and clinical eye signs in this patient the antibodies are likely to be secondary to the eye muscle reaction, rather than its cause..