Neuroendocrinology News

At the end of each year, the Endocrine Today Editorial Board votes on the top 10 stories of the year. This year, we’ve asked Board members to tell us about their most anticipated endocrinologic advances in the coming year. As always, we welcome your comments and opinions on the top trends to watch.

Researchers are calling for the advent of a pituitary “centers of excellence” designation at hospitals equipped with high-level surgical skills and other capabilities needed to provide state-of-the-art care to patients with pituitary tumors, according to a press release.

A 45-year-old man was seen for urgent evaluation of worsening headaches and loss of vision. He first noticed his symptoms 6 months before the onset of recurrent headaches with blurry and blank spots in his vision.

Patients with higher glucose levels within what is considered the normal range could be at greater risk for hippocampal and amygdalar atrophy, data from the Personality And Total Health Through Life Study suggest.

The importance of a balanced and adjusted glucocorticoid replacement therapy in patients with nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas has been reaffirmed by current data suggesting that a higher hydrocortisone dose is linked to increased mortality in patients with the disease.

Treatment with growth hormone-releasing hormone was associated with positive cognitive effects among adults with mild cognitive impairment and healthy older adults, according to study results.

HOUSTON — The safety of investigational oral octreotide, currently in clinical trials, appears to be on par with the currently available injectable formulation of the drug. This new delivery method may in the future provide relief for patients with acromegaly who struggle with injections, researchers said here.

Dehydroepiandrosterone levels are low among patients with adrenal insufficiency, both at baseline and after low-dose cosyntropin stimulation, according to data from researchers in Ohio.  Therefore, they recommend measuring dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels when assessing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function.

HOUSTON — The safety and efficacy of oral octreotide appears to be on par with the currently available injectable formulation of the drug. This new delivery method may provide relief for patients with acromegaly who struggle with injections, researchers said here.

Patients treated with the hormone relaxin after a stroke showed marked improvements in function and cognition, suggesting a new therapeutic approach in reducing disability resulting from neurovascular ischemic disease.