European Endocrinology 15.2 – Autumn 2019

Welcome to the autumn edition of European Endocrinology. In this issue we present authoritative, up-to-date information on a wide range of salient topics. While the global epidemic of type 2 diabetes (T2D) continues to be a major focus of clinical research, the journal also reflects the scope of the broadening discipline of endocrinology. We open with an editorial, in which Kalra et al. propose […]

The term ‘disease progression’ is ubiquitous in clinical medicine. It has been used in various medical specialties such as oncology, nephrology, dermatology and cardiology.1–3 Type 2 diabetes (T2D), however, is a complex disease, which eludes simple definition of disease progression. The exhaustive list of pathophysiologic mechanisms that contribute to T2D is matched by an equally notable […]

As technology has advanced over the last decade, so have the treatment options for patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The goal of these technological advances is improved regulation of glucose levels to more closely resemble glucose metabolism in patients without diabetes. Perhaps even more importantly, new technologies seek to improve quality of life by […]

‘Palaeolithic’ refers to the period of history of the genus Homo, beginning more than 2 million years ago when humans began to cultivate plants (predominantly cereal grains) and domesticate animals. They lived as hunter-gatherers, eating wild-animal-sourced foods (lean meats, internal organs, bone marrow, but no dairy) and uncultivated plant-sourced foods (mostly fruits, non-grain, vegetables, nuts, but […]

The global prevalence of obesity has increased tremendously in recent years. According to the World Health Organization, 39% of adults were overweight, of which 13% were obese, in 2016.1 The association between excess body weight and several medical conditions that increase morbidity and mortality is well-known. Recent clinical evidence suggests that obesity is one of the […]

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant endocrine tumour syndrome characterised by three main manifestations which are primary hyperparathyroidism (78–94%), gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) (35–78%) and pituitary adenomas (20–65%).1 As described, GEP-NETs are the second most common component of MEN1 syndrome and metastatic GEP-NETs are shown to be related with poor prognosis.2 For […]

Phaeochromocytomas/paragangliomas (PHAEO/PG) are chromaffin cell tumours that can present sporadically or as part of other familial syndromes including hereditary paraganglioma syndromes, multiple endocrine neoplasia 2, von Hippel-Lindau syndrome and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). PHAEO/PG are found in about 0.2% of patients with hypertension1 and in 5% of all cases of adrenal incidentalomas.2,3 The vast majority of PHAEO/PG […]

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has traditionally been defined as carbohydrate intolerance, with its onset or first recognition in pregnancy.1,2 The definition, screening and diagnosis of GDM continue to be subjects of controversy.3 Recent guidelines have emphasised the importance of the definition of GDM and its distinction from overt diabetes mellitus in pregnancy, because this definition affects the […]

Globally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are currently the leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Of the 56.4 million global deaths in 2015, nearly 39.5 million (70%) were due to NCDs.1 Mental health disorders are one of the known major contributors to NCD burden. They are responsible for 7.4% of global disability adjusted life years (DALYs) and 22.9% […]

The growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in India and the associated irreversible micro- and macro-vascular complications cause premature morbidity and mortality.1 ‘KgA1c paradox’ (Kg represents weight reduction; A1c represents glycaemic control) is now assuming significance in view of the greater tendency for Indians to develop insulin resistance, adiposity and cardiovascular diseases.2 Conventional oral antidiabetic […]