<i>Objectives</i>. Statin drugs act as inhibitors of the 3-hydroxy-3methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase enzyme early in the mevalonate pathway, thereby reducing the endogenous cholesterol synthesis. In recent studies, it has been suggested from epidemiological data that statins also may improve vitamin D status, as measured by increased plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels. We now report the results from a randomised controlled trial on effects of simvastatin on plasma 25OHD levels. <i>Design and Methods</i>. We randomised 82 healthy postmenopausal women to one year of treatment with either simvastatin 40 mg/d or placebo and performed measurement at baseline and after 26 and 52 weeks of treatment. The study was completed by 77 subjects. <i>Results</i>. Compared with placebo, plasma levels of cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins decreased in response to treatment with simvastatin, but our study showed no effect of simvastatin on vitamin D status. However, plasma levels of triglycerides were inversely associated with tertiles of plasma 25OHD levels and changes in plasma triglycerides levels correlated inversely with seasonal changes in vitamin D status. <i>Conclusion</i>. Our data do not support a pharmacological effect of statins on vitamin D status, but do suggest that vitamin D may influence plasma lipid profile and thus be of importance to cardiovascular health.

Lars Rejnmark

Peter Vestergaard

Lene Heickendorff

Leif Mosekilde

Simvastatin Does Not Affect Vitamin D Status, but Low Vitamin D Levels Are Associated with Dyslipidemia: Results from a Randomised, Controlled Trial

Leptin is involved in the endocrine control of energy expenditure and body weight regulation. Previous studies emphasize a relationship between hypoxic states and leptin concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute hypoxia on leptin concentrations in healthy subjects. We examined 14 healthy men. Hypoxic conditions were induced by decreasing oxygen saturation to 75&#x25; for 30 minutes. Plasma leptin concentrations were determined at baseline, after 3 hours of euglycemic clamping, during hypoxia, and repeatedly the following 2.5 hours thereafter. Our results show an increase of plasma leptin concentrations in the course of 6 hours of hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamping which may reflect diurnal rhythmicity. Notwithstanding, there was no difference between levels of leptin in the hypoxic and the normoxic condition (<svg style="vertical-align:-0.13794pt;width:40.512501px;" id="M1" height="10.8625" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 40.512501 10.8625" width="40.512501"  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	<g transform="matrix(1.25,0,0,-1.25,0,10.8625)">
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				<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="0" y="0">𝑃</tspan>
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				<tspan style="font-size: 12.50px; " x="26.056252" y="0">2</tspan>
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</svg>). Since we did not find any significant changes in leptin responses upon hypoxia, plasma leptin levels do not seem to be affected by short hypoxic episodes of moderate degree.

Andre Schmoller

Michaela Voss

Hartmut Gehring

Sebastian Rudolf

Ulrich Schweiger

Bernd Schultes

Kerstin M. Oltmanns

Short Hypoxia Does not Affect Plasma Leptin in Healthy Men under Euglycemic Clamp Conditions

Minimally invasive techniques to access subcutaneous adipose tissue for glucose monitoring are successfully applied in type1 diabetic and critically ill patients. During critical illness, the addition of a lactate sensor might enhance prognosis and early intervention. Our objective was to evaluate SAT as a site for lactate measurement in critically ill patients. In 40 patients after major cardiac surgery, arterial blood and SAT microdialysis samples were taken in hourly intervals. Lactate concentrations from SAT were prospectively calibrated to arterial blood. Analysis was based on comparison of absolute lactate concentrations (arterial blood vs. SAT) and on a 6-hour lactate trend analysis, to test whether changes of arterial lactate can be described by SAT lactate. Correlation between lactate readings from arterial blood vs. SAT was highly significant (<svg     style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:63.237499px;" id="M1" height="11.125" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 63.237499 11.125" width="63.237499"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
			<g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,10.862)"><path id="x1D45F" d="M393 379q-9 -16 -28 -29q-15 -10 -23 -2q-19 19 -36 19q-21 0 -52 -38q-57 -72 -82 -126l-40 -197q-23 -3 -75 -18l-7 7q49 196 74 335q7 43 -2 43q-7 0 -30 -14.5t-47 -37.5l-16 23q37 42 82 73t67 31q41 0 15 -113l-11 -50h4q41 71 85 117t77 46q29 0 45 -26&#xA;q13 -21 0 -43z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,7.236,10.862)"><path id="x32" d="M412 140l28 -9q0 -2 -35 -131h-373v23q112 112 161 170q59 70 92 127t33 115q0 63 -31 98t-86 35q-75 0 -137 -93l-22 20l57 81q55 59 135 59q69 0 118.5 -46.5t49.5 -122.5q0 -62 -29.5 -114t-102.5 -130l-141 -149h186q42 0 58.5 10.5t38.5 56.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,20.104,10.862)"><path id="x3D" d="M535 323h-483v50h483v-50zM535 138h-483v50h483v-50z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,34.808,10.862)"><path id="x30" d="M241 635q53 0 94 -28.5t63.5 -76t33.5 -102.5t11 -116q0 -58 -11 -112.5t-34 -103.5t-63.5 -78.5t-94.5 -29.5t-95 28t-64.5 75t-34.5 102.5t-11 118.5q0 58 11.5 112.5t34.5 103t64.5 78t95.5 29.5zM238 602q-32 0 -55.5 -25t-35.5 -68t-17.5 -91t-5.5 -105&#xA;q0 -76 10 -138.5t37 -107.5t69 -45q32 0 55.5 25t35.5 68.5t17.5 91.5t5.5 105t-5.5 105.5t-18 92t-36 68t-56.5 24.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,42.967,10.862)"><path id="x2E" d="M113 -12q-24 0 -39.5 16t-15.5 42q0 24 16 40.5t40 16.5t40 -16.5t16 -40.5q0 -26 -16 -42t-41 -16z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,46.843,10.862)"><path id="x37" d="M447 623l8 -12l-283 -613l-74 -10l-7 11q174 283 297 551h-216q-48 0 -62.5 -12t-33.5 -63h-29q10 60 18 148h382z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,55.002,10.862)"><path id="x31" d="M384 0h-275v27q67 5 81.5 18.5t14.5 68.5v385q0 38 -7.5 47.5t-40.5 10.5l-48 2v24q85 15 178 52v-521q0 -55 14.5 -68.5t82.5 -18.5v-27z" /></g>

		
	
</svg>, <svg     style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:58.712502px;" id="M2" height="11.375" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 58.712502 11.375" width="58.712502"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
			<g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,11.112)"><path id="x1D443" d="M619 482q0 -69 -40.5 -119t-96 -72.5t-118.5 -26.5h-44l-70 20l-31 -151q-14 -67 0.5 -83t89.5 -22l-5 -28h-287l8 28q65 7 81.5 22t29.5 83l79 398q12 56 0.5 70.5t-78.5 20.5l7 28h255q108 0 164 -43t56 -125zM524 478q0 141 -146 141q-25 0 -47 -8q-16 -6 -20.5 -13.5&#xA;t-10.5 -39.5l-43 -241q37 -13 83 -13q67 0 125.5 45t58.5 129z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,15.582,11.112)"><path id="x3C" d="M512 -3l-437 233v51l437 233v-58l-378 -200v-2l378 -199v-58z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,30.286,11.112)"><use xlink:href="#x2E"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,34.162,11.112)"><use xlink:href="#x30"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,42.321,11.112)"><use xlink:href="#x30"/></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,50.481,11.112)"><use xlink:href="#x31"/></g>

		
	
</svg>). Nevertheless, 42&#x25; of SAT lactate readings and 35&#x25; of the SAT lactate trends were not comparable to arterial blood. When a 6-hour stabilization period after catheter insertion was introduced, 5.5&#x25; of SAT readings and 41.6&#x25; of the SAT lactate trends remained incomparable to arterial blood. In conclusion, replacement of arterial blood lactate measurements by readings from SAT is associated with a substantial shortcoming in clinical predictability in patients after major cardiac surgery.

Martin Ellmerer

Martin Haluzik

Jan Blaha

Jaromir Kremen

Stepan Svacina

Andreas Plasnik

Dimas Ikeoka

Manfred Bodenlenz

Lukas Schaupp

Johannes Plank

Thomas R. Pieber

Clinical Evaluation of Subcutaneous Lactate Measurement in Patients after Major Cardiac Surgery

Brown tumour represents a serious complication of hyperparathyroidism. 
Differential diagnosis, based on histological examination, is only presumptive and clinical, radiological and laboratory data are necessary for definitive diagnosis. Here we describe a case of a brown tumour localised in the maxilla due to secondary hyperparathyroidism in a young women with chronic renal failure. Hemodialysis and pharmacological treatment were unsuccessful in controlling secondary hyperparathyroidism making it necessary to proceed with a subtotal parathyroidectomy. The proper timing of the parathyroidectomy and its favourable effect on regression of the brown tumor made it possible to avoid a potentially disfiguring surgical removal of the brown tumor.

Nicola Di Daniele

Stefano Cond&#242;

Michele Ferrannini

Marta Bertoli

Valentina Rovella

Laura Di Renzo

Antonino De Lorenzo

Brown Tumour in a Patient with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Resistant to Medical 
Therapy: Case Report on Successful Treatment after Subtotal Parathyroidectomy

<i>Aims</i>. This study assessed whether recent screening recommendations have led to increased diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through routine screening. 
<i  >Methods</i>. Respondents to the 2006 US SHIELD survey reported whether a physician told them they had T2DM, age at diagnosis, specialty of the physician who made the diagnosis, and whether the diagnosis was made after having symptoms, during routine screening, or when being treated for another health problem. 
<i  >Results</i>. Of 3&#x2009;022 T2DM respondents, 36&#x25; of respondents reported that T2DM diagnosis was made during routine screening alone, 20&#x25; after having symptoms alone, and 6&#x25; when being treated for another health problem alone. The proportion of T2DM respondents reporting a diagnosis based only on screening increased approximately 42&#x25; over a 15+-year time span (absolute increase from 31&#x25; to 44&#x25;) (<svg     style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:58.712502px;" id="M1" height="11.375" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 58.712502 11.375" width="58.712502"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>), whereas symptom-based diagnosis did not change significantly (<svg     style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:50.549999px;" id="M2" height="11.375" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 50.549999 11.375" width="50.549999"  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
	
		
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</svg>). T2DM was diagnosed primarily by family physicians (88.3&#x25;). 
<i  >Conclusion</i>. These findings highlight the importance of regular screening for diabetes and the vital role of primary care physicians in recognizing individuals with T2DM.


Helena W. Rodbard

Andrew J. Green

Kathleen M. Fox

Susan Grandy

Trends in Method of Diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Results from SHIELD

With the exclusive presence of the pancreatic CCK-2 receptors on the pancreatic delta cells of six different species, this study was undertaken to determine the role of cholecystokinin and gastrin on growth of these somatostatin (SS) cells. For this study, the SS-RIN-14B cells were used in culture and their growth was evaluated by cell counting. <i>Results</i>. To our surprise, we established by Western blot that these RIN cells possess the two CCK receptor subtypes, CCK-1 and CCK-2. Occupation of the CCK-1 receptors by caerulein, a CCK analog, led to inhibition of cell proliferation, an effect prevented by a specific CCK-1 receptor antagonist. Occupation of the CCK-2 receptors by the gastrin agonist pentagastrin had no effect on cell growth. Proliferation was not affected by SS released from these cells but was inhibited by exogenous SS. <i>Conclusions</i>. Growth of the SS-RIN-14B cells can be negatively affected by occupation of their CCK-1 receptors and by exogenous somatostatin.

Karim El-Kouhen

Jean Morisset

Cholecystokinin and Somatostatin Negatively Affect Growth of the Somatostatin-RIN-14B Cells

In the last 20 years, a pituitary-hypothalamus tissue culture system with intact neural and portal connections has been developed in our lab and used to understand the feedback mechanisms that regulate the secretions of adenohypophyseal hormones and fertility of male rats. In the last decade, several in vivo rat models have also been developed in our lab with a view to substantiate the in vitro findings, in order to delineate the role of pituitary hormones in the regulation of fertility of male rats. These studies have relied on both surgical and pharmacological interventions to modulate the secretions of gonadotropins and testosterone. The interrelationship between the circadian release of reproductive hormones has also been ascertained in normal men. Our studies suggest that testosterone regulates the secretion of prolactin through a long feedback mechanism, which appears to have been conserved from rats to humans. These studies have filled in a major lacuna pertaining to the role of prolactin in male reproductive physiology by demonstrating the interdependence between testosterone and prolactin. Systemic levels of prolactin play a deterministic role in the mechanism of chromatin condensation during spermiogenesis.

M. K. Gill-Sharma

Prolactin and Male Fertility: The Long and  Short  Feedback Regulation

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<p><em>International Journal of Endocrinology</em> publishes original research articles and&nbsp;review articles that provide insights into the endocrine system and its associated diseases at a genomic, molecular, biochemical and cellular level.</p>


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<p>Chief Editor, Dr. Zhongjian Xie, is based at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, China. He is mainly engaged in research on the skeletal and extraskeletal function of vitamin D and calcium.</p>


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title

International Journal of Endocrinology publishes original research articles and review articles that provide insights into the endocrine system and its associated diseases at a genomic, molecular, biochemical and cellular level.

International Journal of Endocrinology