TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE

Pituitary Gland Disorders

Main lines of research

  • Morbimortality, low-grade inflammation and cardiovascular risk in patients with acromegaly or Cushing syndrome.
  • ERCUSYN: European Registry on Cushing syndrome. Initiated with funding from SANCO, EU Public Health Programme.
  • Neuroradiological, neuropsychological and clinical study of endogenous hypercortisolism: comparison of Cushing syndrome and chronic major depressive disorder.
  • Validation of psychological properties of specific questionnaires to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Cushing syndrome and acromegaly.
  • Study of signal transduction of GH in muscle by gene expression in a C2C12 cell line stimulated with GH.
  • Aetiology of cardiopathy in acromegaly and its relation to body composition.
  • Role of telomeres in endocrine diseases.

Challenges

  • Investigate the neuropsychological, neuroradiological and clinical correlation of patients with endogenous hypercortisolism (due to Cushing syndrome or chronic major depressive disorder) or exogenous exposure to low-dose glucocorticoids (due to treatment of adrenal insufficiency or rheumatoid arthritis). Similar studies for acromegaly.
  • Study gene expression in cultured muscle cells after exposure to GH using microarrays.
  • Correlate neuropsychological status and circadian rhythm of cortisol in patients with hypercortisolism (Cushing syndrome) and without hypercortisolism (non-functioning pituitary adenomas) compared to normal controls.
  • Evaluate long-term morbidity and mortality in patients who have had Cushing syndrome or acromegaly in the last 25 years.
  • Analyse and update the European database of patients with Cushing syndrome (ERCUSYN), which at the end of 2013 included over 1100 patients from 57 centres in 36 countries.
  • Conduct in vitro molecular analysis of operated pituitary adenomas within the REMAH (Molecular Registry of Pituitary Adenomas) study, sponsored by the Spanish Endocrinology and Nutrition Society.
  • Investigate correlations of telomere length and different clinical and biochemical parameters in patients with Cushing syndrome.

2017 Scientific Report – Pituitary Gland Disorders

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