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Petra-Maria Schumm-Draeger

Publications and source records attributed to Petra-Maria Schumm-Draeger.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

[Diabetes mellitus and frequently associated endocrine diseases].

The simultaneous occurrence of type 1 or type 2 diabetes with various hormonal diseases (e.g. thyroid, adrenal, pituitary disease) is a frequent observation. A chronically poorly controlled metabolism can alter the hormone parameters of the diabetic. In contrast, an acute loss of metabolic control may be a sign of a newly manifesting hormonal disease, and needs always prompt an appropriate diagnostic work-up and treatment. In view of the frequency both of diabetes mellitus and thyroid disease, a regular check--at least yearly and always in case of unclear worsening of diabetic control--of thyroid gland function is mandatory. The aim is to provide appropriate treatment, and thus to stabilize the patient's metabolic status, as early as possible.

Adrenal Insufficiency↗

[Current treatment with oral antidiabetic agents].

In the large majority of type 2 diabetics, the initial phase of the disease is characterized by insulin resistance. A primary insulin secretion disorder is seen only in normal-weight patients, and requires a differentiated therapeutic approach. Glinides make possible flexible meal-oriented stimulation of insulin secretion. Insulin resistance can be influenced by insulin sensitizers. In the overweight patient, biguanides (metformin) effectively lower blood sugar, either alone or in combination with other oral antidiabetic agents. Acarbose, and glitazone can delay progression to diabetes. Furthermore, acarbose, biguanides, and in particular glitazone, reduce cardiovascular events. For normal-weight patients, sulfonylureas are considered the first-line drug for monotherapy. Progressive insulin secretion deficiency and usually persistent insulin resistance requires insulin substitution in combination with oral antidiabetic agents or as conventional/intensified insulin therapy.

Administration, Oral↗

Political issues in internal medicine in Europe. A position paper.

What will be the future of internal medicine in Europe? Because of rapidly growing concerns regarding the position of internal medicine in many European countries, the European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM) has established a working group to analyze the situation. Being well aware of the variation in working practices in the different countries, the members of the group used an "all-European" approach to answer the following questions: Internal medicine is the modern, clinical, and scientific medical discipline that is responsible for the care of adult patients with one or more complex, acute, or chronic illnesses. Internal medicine is the cornerstone of an integrated health care delivery service that is needed today. Decision-makers in politics and hospitals, insurers, journalists, and the general public need a better understanding of what internal medicine can offer to the health care system and to the individual patient.

Journal Article↗

[Endocrinology--I].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Prevalence of thyroid disorders in the working population of Germany: ultrasonography screening in 96,278 unselected employees.

Germany continues to be iodine deficient despite considerable improvement in the past years. To assess the current prevalence of diffuse and/or nodular thyroid disorders, a cross-sectional observational study in a nonrandom sample of the working population was carried out throughout Germany in 2001 and 2002. A total of 96,278 employees 18-65 years of age from 214 companies or other private or public institutions voluntarily underwent ultrasonographic examinations by 230 experienced investigators. To compare the prevalence of different abnormal findings in relation to age and gender, descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used. Data from volunteers with previous thyroid treatment (13.0% of total sample) were not included in the analysis. Abnormal findings (goiter and/or nodules > 0.5 cm) were observed in 33.1% (men, 32.0%; women, 34.2%) of the examined patient population, an enlarged thyroid without nodules in 9.7% (men, 11.9%; women, 7.6%), nodules only without enlargement of the thyroid in 14.3% (men, 11.5%; women, 17.0%), and nodular goiter in 9.1% (men, 8.6%; women, 9.6%). Nodules (with or without goiter) between 0.5 and up to 1.0 cm were found in 10.0%, and nodules above 1.0 cm in 11.9% of the population. Rates of abnormal findings increased with age in both genders. Goiter was more common in men, nodules in women. In light of these findings, the prevalence of thyroid disorders in Germany continues to be high. Although the study may slightly overestimate the prevalence, about one third of the working population is affected and remains unaware of this condition. These results emphasize the importance of effective sonographic screening to detect early thyroid abnomalities in order to initiate preventive and therapeutic measures to prevent the onset or progression of disease and its sequels.

Adult↗

[Iodine and thyroid autoimmunity].

The pathogenetic mechanisms leading to the development of autoimmune disease of the thyroid are based on several different factors. The resultant immune response is related to both the genetic predisposition and other influencing factors such as iodine intake, a very important modulator of thyroid autoimmunity. To a large extent, the details of the mechanisms that induce the immune response and lead to chronic autoimmune thyroid reactions are still poorly understood. In genetically predisposed individuals the iodine intake modulates autoimmune thyroid reactions. Especially with acute or chronic increase of iodine intake it leads to a significant increase in the incidence and intensity of autoimmune thyroid disease. There is a need to further investigate whether the results of experimental animal studies can be generalised to humans. Epidemiological data from countries with sufficient or high nutritional iodine intake clearly show that in comparison to countries with iodine deficiency there is an increase in the incidence of autoimmune thyroid disease and a change in the pattern of manifestation, e.g. in the proportion of autoimmune thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease. At the same time, thyroid diseases related to iodine deficiency significantly decrease, which is to be expected with a continuously higher iodine intake.

Animals↗

Rhythmic gene expression in pituitary depends on heterologous sensitization by the neurohormone melatonin.

In mammals, many daily cycles are driven by a central circadian clock, which is based on the cell-autonomous rhythmic expression of clock genes. It is not clear, however, how peripheral cells are able to interpret the rhythmic signals disseminated from this central oscillator. Here we show that cycling expression of the clock gene Period1 in rodent pituitary cells depends on the heterologous sensitization of the adenosine A2b receptor, which occurs through the nocturnal activation of melatonin mt1 receptors. Eliminating the impact of the neurohormone melatonin simultaneously suppresses the expression of Period1 and evokes an increase in the release of pituitary prolactin. Our findings expose a mechanism by which two convergent signals interact within a temporal dimension to establish high-amplitude, precise and robust cycles of gene expression.

Adenosine-5'-(N-ethylcarboxamide)↗

Polymerase chain reaction in the detection of tumor cells: new approaches in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancers are the most common endocrine malignancies and are being diagnosed with increasing frequency. In addition to other measures, diagnosis is based on fine-needle aspiration cytology examination. Recently, new assays using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are being tested to improve sensitivity and specificity of primary diagnosis and detection of recurrent thyroid cancer. In the preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer, several tissue- and/or tumor-specific mRNA have been described and in several cases, a higher sensitivity and specificity could be achieved using molecular techniques compared to conventional methods. In the postoperative follow-up of patients with thyroid cancer, conflicting data have been published and the use of PCR techniques revealed several problems of the molecular approach, which are based on some technical as well as biologic limitations. Despite these problems, which are discussed in detail in this review, molecular techniques may nevertheless improve the sensitivity and accuracy of fine-needle aspiration of thyroid nodules, fine-needle aspiration of metastases, and detection of recurrent disease in peripheral blood samples.

DNA, Neoplasm↗

Validation of a new automated immunoassay for measurement of intact osteocalcin.

Bone turnover is assessed indirectly by measurement of biochemical markers of bone turnover. Osteocalcin, a 49-amino-acid protein is a major noncollagenous protein of bone matrix, synthesized by osteoblasts and odontoblasts. Various assays exist for assessment of osteocalcin and concentrations in the same serum or plasma sample may vary enormously. The used antibodies may recognize intact osteocalcin and/or circulating fragments of osteocalcin. We here describe and validate a new automated immunoassay system for measurement of intact osteocalcin (DPC IMMULITE assay) using monoclonal antibodies (mouse) against the C-terminus of osteocalcin (AA 44-49). For detection polyclonal antibodies (goat) directed against the N-terminus (AA 1-17) conjugated with alkaline phosphatase are used. While different laboratory assays show marked clinical discordance, we evaluated our results comparatively to an established IRMA method (Nichols). We observed a highly significant correlation between both assays (r = 0.9352, p < 0.0001, n = 286) for healthy persons and also for patient samples (osteoporosis, diabetes type 1, rheumatoid arthritis). Very low inter- and intraassay covariance as well as highly significant linearity (analytical recovery near 100%) tested by serial dilutions were demonstrated for the DPC IMMULITE intact osteocalcin assay. We conclude that the IMMULITE assay is a useful method for assessment of intact osteocalcin giving valuable results in comparison to an established non-automated assay.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Political issues in internal medicine in Europe.

What will be the future of Internal Medicine in Europe? Because of rapidly growing concerns regarding the position of Internal Medicine in many European countries, the European Federation of Internal Medicine has established a working group to analyze the situation. Being well aware of the variation of working practices in the different countries, the members of the group used an "all-European" approach to answer the following questions: Are there problems for Internal Medicine, what problems and why? Why do the health care systems of the European countries need Internal Medicine? Why do the patients need Internal Medicine? What needs to be done? Internal Medicine is the modern, clinical and scientific medical discipline taking care of adult patients with one or more complex, acute or chronic illnesses. Internal Medicine is the cornerstone of integrated health care delivery service that is needed today. Decision-makers in politics and hospitals, insurers, journalists and the general public need a better understanding of what Internal Medicine can offer to the health care system and to the individual patient.

Europe↗