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ABSTRACT: Background: Insulin, 25-hydroxy vitaminD3 (25(OH)D3) and folate have been differently associated with a risk of colonic neoplasms in the general population. Acromegalic patients have an increased risk of colorectal tumors and an association between fasting insulin concentrations and colonic lesions has been reported. However, it is unknown whether insulin, 25(OH)D3, folate and homocysteine interact to determine the risk of colonic tumors in acromegaly. Aim: To investigate whether serum insulin, 25(OH)D3, folate and homocysteine concentrations were associated with precancerous colonic lesions in acromegalic patients. Material and methods: A cohort of 146 consecutive acromegalic patients was evaluated for colonoscopy findings and fasting insulin, 25(OH)D3, folate and homocysteine levels. A preliminary study was conducted in 9 naïve acromegalic patients to evaluate the effect of somatostatin analogues (SSA) on serum levels of those factors. Results: Insulin reduced during SSA whereas the other factors did not change. In the cohort study, colonic lesions[14 adenomas; 32 hyperplastic polyps] were detected in 46 patients. Fasting insulin, 25(OH)D3, folate and homocysteine levels did not differ in patients with or without colonic adenomas. High folate levels were associated with a lower risk of developing precancerous colonic lesions at the multivariate analysis, when corrected by age, gender, disease activity and SSA therapy. Conclusions: Serum insulin, 25(OH)D3 and homocysteine serum concetrantions do not seem to influence the development of precancerous colonic lesions in acromegalic patients, while higher folate levels may be associated with a lower risk of colonic lesions.
Journal of endocrinological investigation 01/2013; · 1.57 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Patients with acromegaly have frequently colonic neoplasms; however, how acromegalic patients should be screened for colonic lesions is still unsettled.
To compare fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and colonoscopy in the screening program of patients with acromegaly.
Colonoscopy and FOBT were performed at the first diagnosis of acromegaly.
Tertiary University center.
Eighty-five consecutive patients with untreated active acromegaly submitted to colonoscopy and FOBT.
FOBT, which was positive in 16 (18.8%) out of 85 patients, identified 2 patients with colonic adenocarcinoma and 2 with adenoma; the remaining 12 patients had no detectable colonic lesions. Colonoscopy revealed colonic lesions in 29 patients: 3 (3.5%) cancers, 11 (12.9%) adenomas, and 15 (17.6%) hyperplastic polyps. The remaining 56 acromegalic patients had no detectable lesions. A patient with cancer and 9 patients with adenoma were missed if screened only by FOBT.
Colonoscopy is superior to FOBT in detecting colonic lesions at the first diagnosis of acromegaly.
Journal of endocrinological investigation 02/2010; 33(8):530-3. · 1.57 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Acromegalic patients have increased prevalence of colonic polyps. Development of hyperplastic polyps was related to suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) 2 haploinsufficiency in animal models of acromegaly.
To evaluate whether variations in SOCS2 expression in the colonic mucosa of acromegalic patients might be associated to hyperplastic polyps, patients with active acromegaly or disease in remission with or without hyperplastic polyps were studied; controls were non-acromegalic subjects age- and sex- matched with or without polyps.
Expression of SOCS1-3 was evaluated by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence and Western blot in the colonic mucosa. Coimmunoprecipatiton was used to evaluate multimeric protein complexes.
Acromegalic patients with active disease and hyperplastic polyps had higher levels of SOCS2 transcripts; on the contrary, SOCS1 and SOCS3 transcripts did not differ among the study groups. While the expression of SOCS2 and SOCS3 protein was indistinguishable with that of the corresponding transcripts, SOCS1 protein expression was reduced in active acromegalic patients with polyps. SOCS1 protein was reduced owing to its increased proteasome degradation mediated by SOCS2. The increased SOCS2 and reduced SOCS1 led to increased STAT5b expression, suggesting a higher GH signalling transduction.
Acromegalic patients with active disease and hyperplastic polyps have high levels of SOCS2 and increased SOCS1 degradation, leading to reduced negative feedback on GH signalling, likely favouring a hyperplastic polyps phenotype.
Clinical Endocrinology 10/2008; 70(6):898-906. · 3.17 Impact Factor
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Ugo Boggi,
Fabio Vistoli,
Stefano Signori,
Marco Del Chiaro,
Alessandro Campatelli,
Gabriella Amorese, Emanuele Marciano,
Alberto Coppelli,
Carla Tregnaghi,
Gaetano Rizzo,
Piero Marchetti,
Franco Mosca
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ABSTRACT: Pancreas transplantation (PTx) with portal-enteric drainage (PED) has been associated with difficulties in respect to arterial anastomosis and graft accessibility for percutaneous biopsy. We describe a new technique that circumvents these difficulties.
Between April 2001 and April 2004, a total of 113 recipients were scheduled for PTx with PED. The superior mesenteric vein was approached from the right retroperitoneal aspect instead of from the anterior transmesenteric route. The pancreas graft was eventually placed in the right retroperitoneal space, being covered by the ascending colon and its mesentery.
One hundred ten (97.3%) PTx were performed as planned. Systemic venous effluent was preferred in three patients because of incidental diagnosis of liver cirrhosis during surgery (n=1) and severe obesity (body mass index>35 kg/m2) (n=2). The Y iliac artery graft was kept as short as possible, and arterial anastomosis was always performed with ease. After a mean follow-up period of 21.2+/-19.9 months, the relaparotomy rate was 13.6%. No patient died after repeat surgery, and none required multiple relaparotomies. Overall, 10 grafts were lost because of acute rejection (n=3), chronic rejection (n=2), venous thrombosis (n=2), recipient death (n=2), and late (6-month) arterial thrombosis (n=1). One-year patient and graft survival were 98.1% and 90.7%, respectively.
Our data confirm that PTx with PED is not associated with an increased risk. The technique described has distinctive technical advantages and should be included in the repertoire of PTx.
Transplantation 06/2005; 79(9):1137-42. · 4.00 Impact Factor
