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Biomedical subjects

B Velkeniers

Publications and source records attributed to B Velkeniers.

87 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Effect of fluoxetine, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rat.

Fluoxetine, a specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor, was administered i.p. either acutely or chronically (2 and 10 mg doses), and intraventricularly to normal rats. Basal TSH levels were measured and the pituitary TSH reserve was estimated by direct determination of pituitary TSH content and/or by a TRH test. Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) serum levels were also measured. The acute administration elicited only a decrease in T4 levels, whereas the chronic administration resulted in a decrease in both T4 and T3 levels. The 10 mg acute and chronic administrations induced an increase in basal TSH and in pituitary TSH reserve. Intraventricular administration only prevented the initial stress-induced decline of serum TSH levels. The major effect of the drug seems to be stimulation of TSH synthesis and release via the inhibition of T4-mediated thyroid-pituitary feedback. Additionally, fluoxetine could exert a minor direct central stimulatory effect on TSH secretion.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Symptomatic hypopituitarism revealing a primary empty sella turcica.

A 64-year-old nulliparous woman presented with clinical signs of thyroid and adrenocortical insufficiency. Subsequent hormonal investigations demonstrated a failure of all anterior pituitary functions. Pneumotomo-encephalography revealed a large arachnoid herniation, leading to the diagnosis of primary empty sella turcica syndrome with secondary panhypopituitarism. This unusual observation emphasizes the necessity of ruling out an empty sella turcica syndrome in patients with pituitary insufficiency.

Empty Sella Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Does 'idiopathic pleuritis' exist? Natural history of non-specific pleuritis diagnosed after thoracoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Even after a complete work-up including thoracoscopic biopsies, a significant number of patients with pleural exudates are diagnosed with 'non-specific pleuritis', and no specific diagnosis can be made. The natural evolution of these patients is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: To study the natural evolution of patients with non-specific pleuritis diagnosed after thoracoscopy and to evaluate whether the histological diagnosis of non-specific pleuritis corresponds with the clinical diagnosis of 'idiopathic pleuritis'. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the evolution of 75 patients between 1992 and 2002 (49 men and 26 women), mean (+/- SD) age 63.4 (+/- 13.3) years, who underwent diagnostic thoracoscopy because of an unexplained exudative pleural effusion, and in whom the histological diagnosis of non-specific pleuritis was made. Follow-up data were obtained through medical files and/or telephone contacts with general practitioners. RESULTS: Of these 75 patients, 8.3% eventually developed a malignancy during the follow-up period. In the remaining patients (91.7%), the clinical evolution followed a benign course. Ultimately, a probable cause was established on clinical grounds in 40 patients. True idiopathic pleuritis was finally observed in 25% of patients with the histological diagnosis of non-specific pleuritis. Recurrence of the effusion occurred in 10 out of 60 (16.7%) patients, after a mean period of 26.2 months. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of non-specific pleuritis patients (91.7%) followed a benign course, with a spontaneous resolution of the effusion in 81.8% of cases. In the majority of patients, a probable cause of the pleuritis was identified. True 'idiopathic benign pleuritis' hence occurs in only a minority (25%) of patients.

Biopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Is there a relationship between hyperemesis gravidarum and hyperthyroidism?].

UNLABELLED: This retrospective study evaluates the incidence and degree of thyroidal stimulation in patients with hyperemesis, and the correlation between thyroid function, the hCG level and the severity of the hyperemesis gravidarum. The role of antithyroidea is discussed in patients with a gestational hyperthyroidism. The degree of thyroid stimulation on the outcome of the pregnancy was studied. At admission hCG, TSH, FT4, FT3, TSI, anti-TPO and anti-Tg were determined. The severity of the hyperemesis gravidarum was evaluated by the degree of ketonuria, % weight loss, and the electrolytes and the liver function disorders. An ultrasound to confirm the gestational age and to exclude a multiple pregnancy or a trophoblastic disease was carried out. RESULTS: In a period of 1 January '91 to 31 January '94, 48 hyperemesis gravidarumpatients were admitted at the maternity. 22.9% of the hyperemesispatients had thyroid stimulation; 4 patients had a decreased TSH and an increased FT4 (group 2) and 7 patients had a decreased TSH, an increased FT4 and FT3 (group 3). The age of the mother, the parity and the gestational age at admission are comparable, and do not differ from the patients without thyroid disorders (group 1). Parameters, determining the severity of hyperemesis gravidarum, are not significantly different in the 3 groups. Treatment with antithyroidea in the group with proven hyperthyroidism (decreased TSH, increased FT4 and FT3) does not only lead to normalisation of the thyroid tests, but also to an improvement of the symptomatology. The gestational age at delivery and the birthweight of the babies are comparable in the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: In patients admitted with hyperemesis gravidarum, we found 23% of the women to present a thyroid stimulation. This hyperthyroidism differs from the auto-immune hyperthyroidism, i.e. the patients have no thyroid antibodies, no classic clinical signs of thyrothoxicosis. Probably, the absolute hCG concentration and its biological activity plays a crucial role in the thyroid stimulation. This degree of thyroid stimulation has no influence on the severity of the hyperemesis gravidarum, neither on the outcome of the pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hormones after menopause?

The average life span of a woman is increasing and the age of menopausal onset has not changed much. The length of time that a woman spends in the postmenopausal state is thus increasing. This potential estrogen-deficient state may have certain physiologic and metabolic consequences. The onset of menopause is an excellent time to assess a women's overall health and to evaluate the benefit/risk equation of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Toxic intrathoracic goiter and mediastinal lymphadenopathy: an unusual presentation of systemic primary AL amyloidosis.

Mediastinal lymphadenopathy and goiter have been associated with primary amyloidosis, although not in the same patient. One previous case report described the association of an amyloid goiter and hyperthyroidism (due to Graves' disease) with primary amyloidosis. Till now no case reports of patients presenting simultaneously with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, intrathoracic amyloid goiter and hyperthyroidism as the first manifestation of systemic primary (idiopathic) amyloidosis have been described. The present case report describes the clinical, biological radiological and histological features in such a male patient.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Glucocorticoid hypertension due to the use of bleaching skin cream, a case report.

We report on an unusual case of a 28-year old African woman who developed glucocorticosteroid induced arterial hypertension after abusive use of a skin bleaching cream. Glucocorticosteroids exert their effect at many different sites involved in blood pressure regulation: in particular at the level of the kidney, blood vessels and the heart. The exact incidence of arterial hypertension after prolonged cutaneous glucocorticosteroid administration is unknown. The mechanism of glucocorticosteroid induced hypertension is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Macroprolactinemia: clinical significance and characterization of the condition.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical picture of macroprolactinemic patients and to further assess whether macroprolactinemia was part of an auto-immune syndrome. Eighty-two hyperprolactinemic (serum PRL > 1000 mU/l) patients were investigated and the PEG precipitation test identified 14 patients with macroprolactinemia (bb PRL). They were submitted to a hormonal and autoimmune screening and an IV TRH test. Bioactivity of their serum prolactin was evaluated, using an Nb2 assay. The biochemical nature of bb-PRL was investigated by immunoprecipitation with anti-IgG antibodies. Seventy-nine percent of the studied patients presented with infertility, amenorrhoea, galactorrhoea, mastodynia, gynaecomastia or erectile dysfunction. In most cases, however, these symptoms could be explained by the presence of other non hyperprolactinemia-related pathology. Despite the finding of in vitro biological activity in all macroprolactinemic sera tested, our results suggest a variable in vivo bioactivity of bb-PRL, probably related to a reduced capacity to cross vascular endothelium. In this study, we demonstrated that in 12 out of 13 samples (85%), bb-PRL consisted of PRL-IgG complexes. There was no clinical or laboratory evidence of auto-immunity.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypophosphatemia and refeeding: a corrective or a preventive attitude?

Hypophosphatemia is a rare but potentially lethal complication of the refeeding of cachectic patients. Up until now a careful monitoring of the serum phosphor level was recommended and the deficit was corrected as needed. Illustrated by two case reports we propose the use of a preventive schedule in patients with a normal renal function. We show that preventively treated patients do not develop hypophosphatemia and thereby avoid serious complications such as sudden death. In the presence of normal kidney function we propose to administer phosphor at 2 x 10 mmol/day orally or between 10 and 30 mmol IV depending on the initial phosphor levels. Further treatment is then adapted to measured levels. In the presence of kidney malfunction we propose to keep the corrective schedule.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Synthesis, biological activity and conformational study of a somatostatin hexapeptide analogue containing a reduced peptide bond.

The cyclic hexapeptide analogue of somatostatin, c[Phe psi(CH2-N)Pro-Phe-D-Trp-Lys-Thr], was prepared by solid-phase synthesis of the linear precursor, followed by cyclization using diphenylphosphoryl azide. The inhibition of GH release, as well as receptor affinity, is greatly decreased. Conformational analysis by NMR in DMSO/H2O (1/1) revealed the presence of a type II' beta-turn in the core tetrapeptide region and a delta-turn over the reduced peptide bond.

Amino Acid Sequence↗