The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 91, No. 12 17a
Copyright © 2006 by The Endocrine Society
Endocrinology & Metabolism News, December 2006
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Endocrine Discovery
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The dual 5-HT and NE reuptake inhibitor duloxetine lessened diabetic neuropathic pain significantly more than placebo in a 3-month double-blind controlled trial.
(Neurology (Oct. 24, 2006) 67:1411)[Abstract/Free Full Text]
The selective cannabinoid type 1 receptor blocker rimonabant was effective in bringing about modestly greater weight loss at one year than placebo (–2.3 vs. –1.4 kg on 5 mg/day, and –5.3 vs. –2.3 kg on 20 mg/day, P < 0.0001) in 692 overweight and obese type 2 diabetes patients already taking metformin or a sulphonylurea in a randomized controlled study.
(Lancet (published ahead of print Oct. 27, 2006))
The oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib, which is used to treat gastrointestinal stromal and renal tumors, caused persistent primary hypothyroidism in 15 of 42 patients (36%) who had been treated for a mean 37 weeks. Six of these patients had transiently suppressed TSH earlier, suggesting thyroiditis that might have implications for the drug’s application to thyroid cancer.
(Ann Intern Med (Nov. 7, 2006) 145(9):660)
Among 390 type 2 diabetes patients, hypovitaminosis D was more prevalent than in controls (34% vs. 16%, P < 0.001). Among diabetics, vitamin D deficiency was independently associated with increased carotid intimal medial thickening.
(Clin Endocrinol (Nov. 2006) 65(5):593)
In 24,598 adults with heart failure (with or without coronary disease), prior statin use (n = 12,648) was associated with lower risks of death and hospitalization over a mean 2.4 years of follow-up.
(JAMA (Nov. 1, 2006) 296:2105)[Abstract/Free Full Text]
The agent Adjudin, a potential male contraceptive interfering with germ cell adhesion, was targeted to rats’ testes by conjugation with recombinant TSH, remaining efficacious but avoiding previously reported hepatic and skeletal muscle side effects.
(Nat Med (Nov. 2006) 12(11):1323)
In two randomized double-blind placebo controlled trials involving over 400 patients with euvolemic or hypervolemic hyponatremia, tolvaptan, an oral vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist, was effective in increasing serum sodium concentrations after 4 and 30 days of therapy.
(N Engl J Med (Nov. 16, 2006) 355:2099)[Abstract/Free Full Text]
AMA’s House of Delegates resolved with The Endocrine Society, ASRM, and AACE that FDA should increase oversight and regulation of bioidentical hormone preparations: surveying them for purity and potency, requiring adverse event reporting, and prohibiting use of the term "bioidentical hormones" unless the preparation has been FDA approved.
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Endocrine Education & Training
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More than 39,000 individuals—4.6% more than in 2005—have applied for the 17,370 U.S. medical school slots (2.2% more than 2005); their undergraduate grades and MCAT scores are the highest in 10 years.
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) called on universities and other training institutions to provide all employee and nonemployee postdocs the same health benefits, regardless of their funding source. (For more information, see http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/research/testimony/2006/101706.pdf).
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Endocrine Policy
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In 44 symptomatic hypogonadal men given 150 mg testosterone enanthate in a randomized controlled trial, changes in voiding symptoms, urinary flow, prostate volume, and serum PSA were minimal, and there were no changes in median prostate tissue levels of testosterone or dihydrotestosterone, no changes in prostate histology, tissue biomarkers (androgen receptor, Ki-67, CD34), gene expression (including AR, PSA, PAP2A, VEGF, NXK3, CLU), or cancer incidence or severity.
(JAMA (Nov. 15, 2006) 296(19):2351)
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Endocrinologists
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Roy Weiss has been appointed Section Chief of Endocrinology at the University of Chicago.
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Milestones in Endocrinology
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75 years ago, Naffziger introduced orbital decompression for treatment of exophthalmos.
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In the Journal 25 Years Ago
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Discrepant performance on oral and intravenous glucose tolerance tests the role of gastric inhibitory polypedtide. Elahi D, Andersen DK, Tobin JD, Andres R. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1981;52:1199–1203. "While the therapeutic implications of these findings await further study, it is clear that the enteroinsulin axis (and GIP, a major component of the axis), is a potent and flexible modifier of the final insulin response to ingested glucose."
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Footnotes
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Readers are encouraged to suggest items for Endocrinology and Metabolism News by email (sherman{at}endo-society.org). Submissions will be considered based on their significance and timeliness.
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