Parathyroid hormone (PTH) treatment was previously shown to improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction by enhancing neovascularization and cell survival. In this study, pressure overload-induced left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was induced in mice by transverse aortic banding (TAB) for 2 weeks. We subsequently evaluated the effects of a 2-week treatment with PTH or saline on compensated LVH. After another 4 weeks, the hearts of the mice were analyzed by echocardiography, histology, and molecular biology. Echocardiography showed that hearts of the PTH-treated mice have more severe failing phenotypes than the saline-treated mice following TAB with a greater reduction in fractional shortening and left ventricular posterior wall thickness and with a greater increase in left ventricular internal dimension. Increases in the heart weight to body weight ratio and lung weight to body weight ratio following TAB were significantly exacerbated in PTH-treated mice compared to saline-treated mice. Molecular markers for heart failure, fibrosis, and angiogenesis were also altered in accordance with more severe heart failure in the PTH-treated mice compared to the saline-treated mice following TAB. In addition, the PTH-treated hearts were manifested with increased fibrosis accompanied by an enhanced SMAD2 phosphorylation. These data suggest that the PTH treatment may accelerate the process of decompensation of LV, leading to heart failure.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Echocardiography ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular/*drug therapy/pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Parathyroid Hormone/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Phosphorylation/drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Smad2 Protein/metabolism

PURPOSE: Malignant central nervous system (CNS) germ cell tumors (GCTs), although rare, are thought to occur more frequently among Asians. However, a recent population-based study revealed no differences in GCT incidence between Asians and Caucasians. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the incidence and survival rates of CNS GCTs using the national cancer incidence database, and to compare these rates to those in the United States and Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We extracted CNS GCT patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2012 from the Korea Central Cancer Registry database. Age-standardized rates (ASRs), annual percentage change, and the male-female incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated. To estimate the survival rate, we used data for patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 and followed their cases until December 31, 2013. RESULTS: The ASR for CNS GCT between 2005 and 2012 was 0.179 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval, 0.166 to 0.193), with an overall male-to-female (M:F) IRR of 2.95:1. However, when stratified by site, the M:F IRR was 13.62:1 for tumors of the pineal region and 1.87:1 for those located in nonpineal regions. The most frequent histologic type was germinoma (76.0%), and the most frequent location was the suprasellar region (48.5%). The 5-year survival rate of germinoma patients was 95.3%. CONCLUSION: The incidence rate of CNS GCTs in Korea during 2005-2012 was 0.179 per 100,000, which was similar to that of the Asian/Pacific Islander subpopulation in the United States. Moreover, the CNS GCT survival rate in Korea was similar to rates in Japan and the United States.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Central Nervous System* ; Germ Cells* ; Germinoma ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Japan ; Korea* ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal* ; Survival Rate* ; United States

17α-hydroxylase deficiency is a rare cause of congenital adrenal hyperplasia and is characterized by primary amenorrhea, delayed puberty and hypertension. Although 17α-hydroxylase deficiency mimics mineralocorticoid-induced hypertension, impaired sexual development can aid in the differential diagnosis of this disease. A 32-year-old woman, who had a history of testicular feminization syndrome, presented with hypertension. Her aldosterone level was elevated whereas plasma renin activity was reduced, and her computed tomography scan showed a left adrenal adenoma, which was thought to be an aldosterone producing adenoma. A left adrenalectomy was performed to treat hypertension; however, the condition did not improve. The hormonal tests revealed high levels of plasma progesterone, mineralocorticoid and adrenocorticotropic hormone, and low levels of 17a hydroxyprogesterone, cortisol and sex hormones. The patient was diagnosed with 17α-hydroxylase deficiency and commenced on prednisolone, which controlled hypertension. Here, we report a case of 17α-hydroxylase deficiency mimicking hyperaldosteronism via aldosterone-producing adrenal adenoma.
Adenoma* ; Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital ; Adrenalectomy ; Adrenocortical Adenoma ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Adult ; Aldosterone ; Amenorrhea ; Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperaldosteronism* ; Hypertension ; Male ; Plasma ; Prednisolone ; Progesterone ; Puberty, Delayed ; Renin ; Sexual Development

The brain houses vital hormonal regulatory structures such as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which may confer unique susceptibilities to critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in patients with neurological disorders. In addition, the frequent use of steroids for therapeutic purposes in various neurological conditions may lead to the development of steroid insufficiency. This abstract aims to highlight the significance of understanding these relationships in the context of patient care and management for physicians. Neurological disorders may predispose patients to CIRCI due to the role of the brain in hormonal regulation. Early recognition of CIRCI in the context of neurological diseases is essential to ensure prompt and appropriate intervention. Moreover, the frequent use of steroids for treating neurological conditions can contribute to the development of steroid insufficiency, further complicating the clinical picture. Physicians must be aware of these unique interactions and be prepared to evaluate and manage patients with CIRCI and steroid insufficiency in the context of neurological disorders. This includes timely diagnosis, appropriate steroid administration, and careful monitoring for potential adverse effects. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between neurological disease, CIRCI, and steroid insufficiency is critical for optimizing patient care and outcomes in this complex patient population.