Personality traits and physical complaints in patients with acromegaly : a cross sectional multi-center study with analysis of influencing factors

Objective: Acromegalic patients display a distinct neuropsychological profile and suffer from chronic physical complaints. We aimed to investigate in more detail these aspects in acromegalic patients, dependent on influencing factors like disease activity, age, sex, chronic medication, surgery, pituitary radiation, pituitary insufficiency and comorbidities. Design: Cross sectional, multicentric. Methods: 129 patients (M/W 65/64, 58.3±12.7 ys., 53/76 with active/controlled disease). Acromegalic patients completed the following inventories: NEO-FFI, IIP-D, and the Giessen Complaints List (GBB-24), after written informed consent. Age, sex, IGF-1 concentrations, comorbidities, treatment modalities and pituitary insufficiency were documented. Results: Acromegalic patients or specific patient-subgroups were more agreeable, neurotic, exploitable/permissive, introverted/socially avoidant, non-assertive/insecure, nurturant and less open to experience, cold/denying, domineering, compared to normal values from the healthy population (controls). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that these overall results were due to the specific patient subgroups as patients on chronic medication, with arthrosis and pituitary insufficiency. Disease activity was only associated with the trait nurturant. Higher scores for introversion were associated with arthrosis. Lower domineering was independent of any disease- or treatment related variable or comorbidity. The GBB inventory showed overall higher scores in patients, with higher scores for exhaustion and general complaints being associated with pituitary insufficiency, coronary heart disease and history of malignancy in the multivariable analysis. Joint complaints were independent of any disease- or treatment- related variable. Conclusions: We define new aspects of a distinct neuropsychological profile in patients with acromegaly, which are largely independent of disease activity. Chronic physical complaints are more pronounced in patients than in controls, with exhaustion and general complaints showing no association with disease activity

Management goals for type 1 Gaucher disease: An expert consensus document from the European working group on Gaucher disease

AbstractGaucher Disease type 1 (GD1) is a lysosomal disorder that affects many systems. Therapy improves the principal manifestations of the condition and, as a consequence, many patients show a modified phenotype which reflects manifestations of their disease that are refractory to treatment. More generally, it is increasingly recognised that information as to how a patient feels and functions [obtained by patient- reported outcome measurements (PROMs)] is critical to any comprehensive evaluation of treatment. A new set of management goals for GD1 in which both trends are reflected is needed. To this end, a modified Delphi procedure among 25 experts was performed. Based on a literature review and with input from patients, 65 potential goals were formulated as statements. Consensus was considered to be reached when ≥75% of the participants agreed to include that specific statement in the management goals. There was agreement on 42 statements. In addition to the traditional goals concerning haematological, visceral and bone manifestations, improvement in quality of life, fatigue and social participation, as well as early detection of long-term complications or associated diseases were included. When applying this set of goals in medical practice, the clinical status of the individual patient should be taken into account

Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Octreotide on Tumor Mass in Acromegaly

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The long-acting somatostatin analogue octreotide is used either as an adjuvant or primary therapy to lower growth hormone (GH) levels in patients with acromegaly and may also induce pituitary tumor shrinkage.</p> <h3>Objective</h3><p>We performed a meta-analysis to accurately assess the effect of octreotide on pituitary tumor shrinkage.</p> <h3>Data Sources</h3><p>A computerized Medline and Embase search was undertaken to identify potentially eligible studies.</p> <h3>Study Eligibility Criteria</h3><p>Eligibility criteria included treatment with octreotide, availability of numerical metrics on tumor shrinkage and clear definition of a clinically relevant reduction in tumor size. Primary endpoints included the proportion of patients with tumor shrinkage and mean percentage reduction in tumor volume.</p> <h3>Data Extraction and Analysis</h3><p>The electronic search identified 2202 articles. Of these, 41 studies fulfilling the eligibility criteria were selected for data extraction and analysis. In total, 1685 patients were included, ranging from 6 to 189 patients per trial. For the analysis of the effect of octreotide on pituitary tumor shrinkage a random effect model was used to account for differences in both effect size and sampling error.</p> <h3>Results</h3><p>Octreotide was shown to induce tumor shrinkage in 53.0% [95% CI: 45.0%–61.0%] of treated patients. In patients treated with the LAR formulation of octreotide, this increased to 66.0%, [95% CI: 57.0%–74.0%). In the nine studies in which tumor shrinkage was quantified, the overall weighted mean percentage reduction in tumor size was 37.4% [95% CI: 22.4%–52.4%], rising to 50.6% [95% CI: 42.7%–58.4%] with octreotide LAR.</p> <h3>Limitations</h3><p>Most trials examined were open-label and had no control group.</p> <h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Octreotide LAR induces clinically relevant tumor shrinkage in more than half of patients with acromegaly.</p> </div

Somatostatin analogues in the treatment of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, current aspects and new perspectives

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP NETs) are rare tumours that present many clinical features

The joint IAEA, EANM, and SNMMI practical guidance on peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRNT) in neuroendocrine tumours

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRNT) is a molecularly targeted radiation therapy involving the systemic administration of a radiolabelled peptide designed to target with high affinity and specificity receptors overexpressed on tumours. PRRNT employing the radiotagged somatostatin receptor agonists (90)Y-DOTATOC ([(90)Y-DOTA(0),Tyr(3)]-octreotide) or (177)Lu-DOTATATE ([(177)Lu-DOTA(0),Tyr(3),Thr(8)]-octreotide or [(177)Lu-DOTA(0),Tyr(3)]-octreotate) have been successfully used for the past 15 years to target metastatic or inoperable neuroendocrine tumours expressing the somatostatin receptor subtype 2. Accumulated evidence from clinical experience indicates that these tumours can be subjected to a high absorbed dose which leads to partial or complete objective responses in up to 30 % of treated patients. Survival analyses indicate that patients presenting with high tumour receptor expression at study entry and receiving (177)Lu-DOTATATE or (90)Y-DOTATOC treatment show significantly higher objective responses, leading to longer survival and improved quality of life. Side effects of PRRNT are typically seen in the kidneys and bone marrow. These, however, are usually mild provided adequate protective measures are undertaken. Despite the large body of evidence regarding efficacy and clinical safety, PRRNT is still considered an investigational treatment and its implementation must comply with national legislation, and ethical guidelines concerning human therapeutic investigations. This guidance was formulated based on recent literature and leading experts’ opinions. It covers the rationale, indications and contraindications for PRRNT, assessment of treatment response and patient follow-up. This document is aimed at guiding nuclear medicine specialists in selecting likely candidates to receive PRRNT and to deliver the treatment in a safe and effective manner. This document is largely based on the book published through a joint international effort under the auspices of the Nuclear Medicine Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency

Позиционный электропривод механизма перемещения

Объектом исследования является позиционный асинхронный электропривод механизма горизонтального перемещения груза. Цель работы – исследовать основные характеристики асинхронного электропривода с трехконтурной системой управления положением вала двигателя. В процессе исследования проводились выбор асинхронного двигателя для механизма перемещения, расчет параметров двигателя, его статических и динамических характеристик, выбор преобразователя частоты, синтез трехконтурной системы управления следящим электроприводом на базе регулируемого с векторным управлением.The object of the study is a positional asynchronous electric drive mechanism for the horizontal movement of cargo. The purpose of the work is to investigate the basic characteristics of an asynchronous electric drive with a three-circuit control system for positioning the motor shaft. In the process of research, the choice of an asynchronous motor for the displacement mechanism, calculation of the engine parameters, its static and dynamic characteristics, choice of a frequency converter, synthesis of a three-circuit control system for a servomotor drive based on an adjustable vector control were made