Cushing Syndrome (cushing + syndrome)

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Selected Abstracts


Adalimumab (Humira®) therapy for uveitis

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2009
P NERI
Purpose To review the current Literature and to describe the experience of a tertiary referral centre on Adalimumab (Humira®) therapy for uveitis. Methods The current literature is reviewed and the experience of a tertiary referral centre is reported. Results Chronic non-infectious uveitis (NU) remains one of the most challenging problems in ophthalmology. Often, early and aggressive treatment is needed for a good visual acuity outcome. Local and oral corticosteroids remain the first line of treatment, even though side effects, such as glaucoma, cataract and Cushing Syndrome, can be serious and not tolerable. Therefore, a variety of immunosuppressive agents are in use, such as Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, Cyclosporin A, Azathioprine and Mycophenolate mofetil. Recently, new types of drugs, called "biologic agents", are available. In the model of experimental autoimmuneuveitis (EAU) it has been demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-,) may play a key role in uveitis. Beside other anti- TNF-, drugs, Adalimumab (Humira®) is the newest biologic drug available. Adalimumab is a recombinant human IgG1 monoclonal antibody to TNF-, that blocks the TNF-, biologic activity. Adalimumab seems to control uveitis unresponsive to the traditional immunosuppressive agents and, moreover, its subcutaneous administration makes the procedure easier. Conclusion The data in the literature suggest that Adalimumab can be an effective and safe therapy for the uveitis, by controlling inflammation of the eye. The duration of treatment have still to be investigated in larger studies and further trials are mandatory to validate the preliminary data. [source]


Clinical outcomes and learning curve of a laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 103 consecutive cases at a single institute

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 6 2006
MASATOSHI ETO
Objective:, We examined the clinical outcomes and the learning curve for a laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) in 103 consecutive cases performed by three surgeons at our institute, according to the type of adrenal disorder. Patients and Methods:, One hundred and three patients with adrenal tumors, including 38 cases of primary aldosteronism, 33 cases of Cushing syndrome (including preclinical Cushing syndrome), 15 cases of pheochromocytoma, and nine cases of non-functioning adenoma were evaluated, while focusing on the approaches, intraoperative and postoperative data, and the learning curve of LA, according the type of adrenal disorder. Results:, There was no significant difference in the operation time, estimated blood loss, incidence of conversion to open surgery and blood transfusion, or postoperative recovery among the patients treated by LA for aldosteronoma, Cushing adenoma, pheochromocytoma, and non-functioning adenoma. In the cases of aldosteronoma and Cushing adenoma, the learning curve for the operation time and blood loss in each operator tended to decrease as the number of operations increased. On the other hand, in the cases treated by LA for pheochromocytoma, no trends in either the operation time or blood loss were observed. However, there has been neither any conversion to open surgery nor blood transfusion in cases treated by LA since 1998 (our 42nd case), even after the changes in the operators. Conclusions:, Our results clearly indicate that LA is becoming safer than before, probably due to improvements in the technique, education, and training of surgeons, in addition to the increased number of cases now treated by LA. [source]


Indications for laparoscopic adrenalectomy for non-functional adrenal tumor with hypertension: Usefulness of adrenocortical scintigraphy

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 6 2006
HIROFUMI IZAKI
Aim:, Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is currently indicated for biochemically and clinically functional adrenal tumors and potentially malignant tumors of the adrenal glands. Non-functional adenomas greater than 5 cm in diameter of the adrenal gland are generally considered to represent potentially malignant tumors. The present study shows indications of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for non-functional adrenal tumors with hypertension in a retrospective fashion. Methods:, Between 1994 and 2004, 110 laparoscopic adrenalectomies were performed at Tokushima University Hospital. All 110 patients underwent detailed endocrinological examination before surgery. Medical and operative records of these 110 patients (57 men, 53 women), including operative parameters, histopathological findings and pre- and postoperative hypertension, were reviewed. Forty-five patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy for non-functional adrenal tumors, and [131I]6,-iodomethyl-19-norcholest-5(10)-en-3,-ol (NP-59) scintigraphy was performed for patients with preoperative hypertension. Results:, Mean patient age was 55.0 years (range, 22,77 years). Mean maximum tumor diameter was 42 mm (range, 20,105 mm). All adrenal tumors were removed successfully by laparoscopic surgery. Hypertension was postoperatively improved in seven of the 11 patients with preoperative hypertension, without subclinical Cushing syndrome. Importantly, all patients who improved hypertension after adrenalectomy displayed strong accumulation in adrenal tumors with visualization of the contralateral gland on NP-59 scintigraphy. Conversely, blood pressure did not improve in four patients for whom scintigraphy yielded negative results. Conclusions:, The indication of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for non-functional adrenal tumors is generally considered for lesions more than 5 cm diameter. However, the present study suggests that laparoscopic surgery should be considered even in patients with tumors less than 5 cm in diameter, if both hypertension and accumulation in tumors on NP-59 scintigraphy are present. [source]


Clinical outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy according to tumor size

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 12 2005
ISAO HARA
Objectives: In order to evaluate the indication and usefulness of laparoscopic adrenalectomy, clinical outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for patients with adrenal tumors were examined. Whether tumor size affects surgical outcome was analysed, along with the long-term clinical outcome for these patients. Patients and methods: A total of 63 patients with adrenal tumor underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy in our institute between 1999 and 2003. A laparoscopic transperitoneal approach was used in all cases. Underlying pathologies comprised Cushing syndrome (n = 12), pheochromocytoma (n = 13), primary aldosteronism (n = 21), non-functioning adenoma (n = 12) and others (n = 5). Results: No open conversion was performed. Mean operative duration was 239 min, and mean estimated blood loss was 134 mL. Tumor diameter was significantly smaller for primary aldosteronism than for Cushing syndrome, which in turn was significantly smaller than for adrenocorticotropic hormone-independent macronodular hyperplasia (AIMAH). No significant differences in surgical outcome and postoperative recovery were noted between large (,5 cm) and small (<5 cm) tumors. Long-term clinical outcome was better for patients with pheochromocytoma or primary aldosteronism than for patients with Cushing syndrome. Conclusions: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for benign tumor offers excellent surgical outcomes and convalescence. This is true for both small and large tumors. [source]


Proliferative activity and genetic changes in adrenal cortical tumors examined by flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 2 2005
KOUSUKE TAKEHARA
Abstract Background: To determine differences in biological features among different adrenal tumors, we investigated the DNA ploidy, numerical chromosomal aberration and proliferative activity in human adrenal cortical neoplasms. Methods: Our study included six adrenal cortical adenomas with Cushing syndrome, 12 adenomas with hyperaldosteronism, three non-functioning adenomas and three adrenal cortical carcinomas. Isolated nuclei from frozen samples were used for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues from the same materials were analyzed using flow cytometry (FCM) for DNA ploidy. Sections from paraffin blocks were stained immunohistochemically with antibodies against Ki-67 and p53. For FISH analysis, we used an ,-centromeric enumeration probe for chromosome 17. Results: The mean Ki-67 labeling index (LI) of adrenal cortical carcinomas was markedly higher than that of adrenal cortical adenomas (209.4 vs 8.7). In functional adrenal cortical adenomas, the LI was significantly lower in adenomas with hyperaldosteronism than in those with Cushing syndrome (P = 0.004), although FCM results indicated that tetraploid patterns were more frequently observed in the former type. Tumor size was significantly smaller in adenomas with hyperaldosteronism than in those with Cushing syndrome (P = 0.004). Chromosome 17 showed disomy in all adrenal cortical adenomas, whereas chromosome 17 abnormalities were found in two of three adrenal cortical carcinomas. Only the latter two cases strongly expressed p53 protein. Conclusions: Our study characterized various biological features of benign and malignant adrenal cortical tumors. The use of a combination of markers might provide additional information to assist our understanding of the clinical behavior of an individual adrenal cortical tumor. [source]


Retroperitoneoscopic partial adrenalectomy for small adrenal tumours (,1 cm): the Ruijin clinical experience in 88 patients

BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2010
Xiao-jing Wang
Study Type , Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To present our experience of retroperitoneoscopic partial adrenalectomy (RPA) for small adrenal tumours, as with modern imaging methods small adrenal lesions are being diagnosed more commonly, and retroperitoneoscopic adrenal surgery for small adrenal tumours (,1 cm) can be challenging. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of 389 consecutive retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomies from September 2005 to December 2008, 88 of which were small adrenal tumours and treated by RPA. Ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) were used in all patients before RPA, and magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography/CT in some patients. We used RPA for adrenal tumours and total adrenalectomy for adrenal cancer. During the surgery, the internal part of the adrenal gland close to the retroperitoneum was freed first, and the whole adrenal tissue was dissected completely. The preoperative imaging was important in these procedures. RESULTS There were no deaths; conversions to open surgery were necessary in four patients (4.5%), the reasons being a missing target in two, massive haemorrhage caused by central adrenal vein injury in one, and severe adhesion in one. The mean (range) size of the adrenal tumours was 0.7 (0.5,1.0) cm, including 69 aldosterone-producing adenomas, 11 nonfunctional adrenal adenomas, three Cushing syndrome, two phaeochromocytomas, two myelolipomas and one melanoma. The operative duration in the initial 38 cases was significantly longer than that in the subsequent 50 (P < 0.01). However, there was no significant correlation between estimated blood loss and the number of procedures. Tumour size did not correlate with estimated blood loss and operative duration. There was no significant correlation between body mass index and operative duration. CONCLUSION RPA is a safe, effective and minimally invasive therapeutic option for patients with small adrenal tumours. With improved operative technique the RPA has been completed in more quickly. Freeing the internal part of the adrenal gland close to the retroperitoneum first, and exploring the whole adrenal tissue during surgery are the key points of RPA. The location of the small adrenal tumour can be different from that shown on imaging before surgery, and the abnormality of the adrenal gland should be considered. [source]


Cushing's syndromes, insulin resistance and endocrinopathic laminitis

EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2004
P. J. Johnson
First page of article [source]