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Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare endocrine tumors originating from chromaffin cells. PPGLs are associated with a high mortality rate and several complications. To date, no epidemiological studies have been conducted on PPGLs in Asia. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and prognosis of PPGLs in Korea using nationwide data.
Using the National Health Insurance Service Database, subjects with a principal diagnosis of PPGLs on two or more occasions between 2003 and 2014 who satisfied the operational definition of PPGLs were included. Incidence, prevalence, complications, metastasis, and mortality were investigated.
In total, 1048 subjects with a mean age of 47.6±16.1 years were included. There was no sex preponderance. The overall prevalence of PPGLs was 2.13 per 100,000 persons, and the overall age-standardized incidence rate was 0.18 per 100,000 person-years. Malignant PPGLs accounted for 17.7% (185 of 1,048) of cases, and 94 subjects exhibited metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Among initially non-metastatic PPGLs, 9.5% (nine of 954) eventually metastasized after a mean duration of 78.1±41.4 months. The 5-year survival rates for non-metastatic and metastatic PPGLs at diagnosis were 97% and 84%, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for covariates showed that metastatic PPGLs were associated with a 2.40-fold higher risk of mortality than non-metastatic PPGLs (95% confidence interval, 1.38 to 4.17;
PPGLs are rare in Korea, and the prognosis of these endocrine tumors varies depending on whether they are benign or malignant. This epidemiological study paves the way for further research on PPGLs.
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To investigate the effects of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors on renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.
MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of DPP-4 inhibitors from inception to September 2017. We selected eligible RCTs comparing DPP-4 inhibitors with placebo or other antidiabetic agents and reporting at least one renal outcome. A meta-analysis was conducted to calculate standardized mean differences, weighted mean differences (WMDs), relative risks (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each renal outcome.
We included 23 RCTs with 19 publications involving 41,359 patients. Overall changes in urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio were comparable between DPP-4 inhibitors and controls (
DPP-4 inhibitors had beneficial renal effects mainly by reducing the risk of development or progression of albuminuria compared with placebo or other antidiabetic agents.
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Past decades of division have led to substantial differences in medical environments between South and North Korea. However, little is known about North Korea's medical status and research field, especially regarding endocrinology. In this study, we report the characteristics of North Korea's articles regarding endocrine-related diseases.
Among the nine medical journals, articles published in
Articles related to diabetes mellitus accounted for 55.2% (
North Korea's endocrinology articles mainly focused on diabetes mellitus and thyroid disease. Persistent studies have been carried out in North Korea with dedication despite the poor medical environment. We hope that this study will be the beginning of mutual medical exchange and collaboration between North and South Korea.
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Glycemic variability is associated with the development of diabetic complications through the activation of oxidative stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor, vildagliptin, or a thiazolidinedione, pioglitazone, on glycemic variability and oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes.
In this open label, randomised, active-controlled, pilot trial, individuals who were inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy were assigned to either vildagliptin (50 mg twice daily,
Both vildagliptin and pioglitazone significantly reduced glycated hemoglobin and mean plasma glucose levels during the 16-week treatment. Vildagliptin also significantly reduced the MAGE (from 93.8±38.0 to 70.8±19.2 mg/dL,
In this 16-week treatment trial, vildagliptin, but not pioglitazone, reduced glycemic variability in individuals with type 2 diabetes who was inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy, although a reduction of oxidative stress markers was not observed.
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Hypothyroid myopathy is observed frequently and the resolution of the clinical manifestations of myopathy following thyroid hormone replacement is well known. However, a specific subtype of hypothyroid myopathy, Hoffmann's syndrome, characterized by increased muscular mass (pseudohypertrophy), proximal muscle weakness, muscle stiffness and cramps, is rarely reported. Herein, we describe a 34-year-old male who presented with proximal muscle weakness and non-pitting edema of the lower extremities. He initially visited the neurology department where he was suspected of having polymyositis. Additional laboratory evaluation revealed profound autoimmune hypothyroidism and elevated muscle enzymes including creatine kinase. The patient was started on levothyroxine treatment and, subsequently, clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters resolved with the treatment. The present case highlights that hypothyroidism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of musculoskeletal symptoms even in the absence of overt manifestations of hypothyroidism. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea.
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A brown tumor is a benign fibrotic, erosive bony lesion caused by localized, rapid osteoclastic turnover, resulting from hyperparathyroidism. Although brown tumors are one of the most pathognomonic signs of primary hyperparathyroidism, they are rarely seen in clinical practice. In this report, we present a case of 20-year-old woman with recurrent fractures and bone pain. Plain digital radiographs of the affected bones revealed multiple erosive bone tumors, which were finally diagnosed as brown tumors associated with primary hyperparathyroidism due to a parathyroid adenoma. This case shows that multiple, and clinically severe form of brown tumors can even occur in young patients.
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Radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy has been used as a treatment option for Graves' disease, and it has been widely accepted to be safe. On the other hand, some evidence suggests that RAI therapy is possibly associated with a small increased risk of thyroid cancer. Herein, we report a rare case of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) associated with Graves' disease, following RAI treatment. A 42-year-old woman had been diagnosed with Graves' disease and although she was treated with an antithyroid drug, she remained in a hyperthyroid state, which led to two RAI treatments. More than 10 years later, the patient revisited our clinic due to hoarseness, dysphagia, and dyspnea, which had lasted for 2 months. Neck computed tomography suggested thyroid carcinoma and a lymph node biopsy showed metastatic papillary carcinoma. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy and was finally diagnosed as having an ATC. It is not clear if the occurrence of ATC reported here was influenced by the RAI therapy or alternatively, it may only represent the delayed recognition of a rare change in the natural history of Graves' disease. Nevertheless, this report is worthwhile since it presents a very rare case of ATC that occurred eleven years after the RAI therapy for Graves' disease.
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