Glucagon−like Peptide−1 and−2 Levels in Children with Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether insulin deficiency and increased catabolism may have a role in the regulation of plasma glucagon−like peptide (GLP)−1 and GLP−2 levels in children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and whether insulin treatment may affect the levels of these polypeptides

Tuberculous Meningitis Associated with Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening acute complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Infections are the leading cause of DKA, but trauma, myocardial infarction, or surgery may also precipitate this condition. In patients with DKA, although cerebral edema is the most common cause of neurological symptoms, other possibilities such as meningitis or encephalitis should also be considered. Herein, we present the case of an 8-year-old girl with DKA and tuberculous meningitis

Liraglutide Treatment in a Morbidly Obese Adolescent with a MC4R Gene Variant: Side Effects Reduce Success

Variants of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene are the most common cause of monogenic obesity. It has been shown that, while obesity cannot be controlled with diet and exercise, glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) provide weight loss in the short term. In this paper, our experience with liraglutide treatment in an adolescent patient carrying a MC4R gene variant is presented. A female patient was admitted first at the age of 12.5 years with a complaint of progressive weight gain. She had marked excess of appetite since infancy. On physical examination of the pubertal female patient with a body mass index (BMI) of 36.1 kg/m2 (3.48 standard deviation score), there was no pathological finding except diffuse acanthosis nigricans. Laboratory examinations revealed only insulin resistance. Weight loss was not achieved with lifestyle changes, metformin and orlistat treatments. On genetic examination, a sporadic heterozygous c.206T>G(p.I69R) variant that had been reported previously, was found in MC4R gene. Treatment with the GLP-1 RA, liraglutide, was initiated and a 19.2% reduction was achieved in the body weight and BMI at the end of 32 weeks. However, the patient, whose treatment compliance was disrupted due to significant gastrointestinal complaints, returned to her former weight within a few months (13 weeks) after treatment was stopped. In this case with a known pathogenic variant in MC4R gene, decrease of appetite and weight loss were achieved with liraglutide treatment, but side-effects of this treatment led to discontinuation of therapy. In such cases, there is need for effective and tolerable treatment options

Clinical Characteristics and Genetic Analyses of Patients with Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is classified into two groups-Kalman syndrome and normosmic IHH (nIHH). Half of all cases can be explained by mutations in >50 genes. Targeted gene panel testing with nexrt generation sequencing (NGS) is required for patients without typical phenotypic findings. The aim was to determine the genetic etiologies of patients with IHH using NGS, including 54 IHH-associated genes, and to present protein homology modeling and protein stability analyzes of the detected variations. METHODS: Clinical and demographic data of 16 patients (eight female), aged between 11.6-17.8 years, from different families were assessed. All patients were followed up for a diagnosis of nIHH, had normal cranial imaging, were without anterior pituitary hormone deficiency other than gonadotropins, had no sex chromosome anomaly, had no additional disease, and underwent genetic analysis with NGS between the years 2008-2021. Rare variants were classified according to the variant interpretation framework of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG)/Association for Molecular Pathology. Changes in protein structure caused by variations were modeled using RoseTTAFold and changes in protein stability resulting from variation were analyzed. RESULTS: Half of the 16 had no detectable variation. Three (18.75%) had a homozygous (pathogenic) variant in the GNRHR gene, one (6.25%) had a compound heterozygous [likely pathogenic-variants of uncertain significance (VUS)] variant in PROK2 and four (25%) each had a heterozygous (VUS) variant in HESX1, FGF8, FLRT3 and DMXL2. Protein models showed that variants interpreted as VUS according to ACMG could account for the clinical IHH. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The frequency of variation detection was similar to the literature. Modelling showed that the variant in five different genes, interpreted as VUS according to ACMG, could explain the clinical IHH